Walking through the black curtain and into the Oak Room at Tresidder last Saturday, Stanford students were transported to a 1930s cabaret. Scattered among rows of black chairs was the occasional bleached-blonde wig draped over the back or stiletto sticking out from beneath the black rungs.

Genderfuk has been hosted by the Queer-Straight Alliance for over 10 years. The theme of this year’s event was Victor/Victoria, inspired by the 1980s cult film of the same name.

“Genderfuk 2011 specifically focuses on finding both internal and external beauty and acknowledging the full gender and sexuality spectrum,” explained Nathaniel Williams ’13, event coordinator and MC for the night. “It also dually serves as a chance to continue a long-time LGBT tradition of drag and performance.”

At Genderfuk, people played with and transcended the confines of gender. Men and women alike dressed in drag, freely challenging traditional gender norms. The wide range of extravagant costumes was well received by the students, and compliments reverberated through the night. Many of the students said that they enjoyed the event, and the sheer numbers of enthusiastic students packed into the room confirmed this.

“The Queer-Straight Alliance is dedicated to hosting events that increase awareness and visibility for queer and LGBT-identified students,” Williams said. “Also, our events are intended to help educate others and help them become more complete allies to our respective communities.”

With rainbow flags hung around the DJ station and makeshift stage, Genderfuk achieved just that. Student groups Arabesque and Catch a Fyah held short performances, and Arabesque even provided a belly-dancing tutorial to the eager audience. As the night progressed, the stage (d)evolved into a dance floor, but the camaraderie and openness of the event prevailed.

“We wanted each and every guest to leave feeling individually affirmed and enlightened within a larger sense of community,” Williams said.