Versailles senior Paul Bradley was hurriedly putting a skirt on in the women’s restroom of Gordon Wilson Hall Saturday night.

As he struggled into white fishnet stockings, Brown Sugar, as he was known that night, explained that he participates in Alpha Psi Omega’s annual “Gender Bender” because the money raised goes to scholarships.

Bradley said this was his fifth time in the show.

“I know it’s going to be fun,” said Nick Gossett, a junior from Glasgow who had his realistically stuffed top fondled several times throughout the show.

Rick Thompson, a Louisville junior known as Aquafina, struggled to get his ponytail on, but his sponsor helped while Bowling Green junior Stephen Tabor organized which dresses he would wear during what part of the evening.

In the dressing rooms Jon Meyer, a Crescent Springs freshman, and Bowling Green freshman Will Meredith were assisted into their matching dresses and wigs by their sponsor, Anderson County freshman Molly Kays.

“They signed me up for it and then they convinced me,” admitted Meyer. “It is really stressful – a lot more work than I would have thought.”

Meyer said that he would not have participated in “Gender Bender” if Meredith hadn’t. Together, they were Sapphire Divine and Ruby Luscious, the Gem Sisters.

Meredith was also originally hesitant to participate in the show but gave one thought while Kays applied makeup to his face:

“Well, at this point, who cares?”

A rowdy crowd of about 50 cheered in the Gordon Wilson Hall Lab Theatre as the six participants were led out by Nashville junior Molly Todd, whose round face had a five o’clock shadow and Franklin, Tenn., junior Kaitlen Osburn. Osburn was dressed in a masculine fashion, wearing an outfit reminiscent of the musical “Newsies.”

Charita Moyers, a GrilleWorks server and professors James Brown and Andrew Duff took their seats as judges. They were guffawing throughout Gender Bender at the various mishaps and answers of the participants.

The lights twinkled different colors; Meredith often pulled up his lace-edged, thigh-high stockings and at one point during the talent segment, Meyer’s wig fell off. The participants slapped their hips as they danced.

The six men pranced out, grinding with umbrellas to Rihanna’s hit song “Umbrella.” As the song ended, Meredith called out, “I don’t need no man because I am a single lady!”

They quickly merged into the popular Beyonce song, “Put A Ring on It (Single Ladies)” while dancing and waving their ring-less hands around.

Gender Bender had several categories in the competition, including the opening number, individual questions, the showcase of fitness and individual talent. Such questions included: “If you could be a lip gloss flavor, what would you be and why?”

Root beer was one of the answers.

During physical fitness, muscles bulged, bosoms bounced and skirts barely stayed down.

Brown Sugar gave a surprised girl in the audience a brief lap dance. Aquafina danced with another girl in the audience and the Gem Sisters sang the “Sisters” song.

“We got some winners,” Todd announced.

“And some losers,” someone in the audience shouted.

The Gem Sisters placed third. Aquafina was the runner-up.

“It’s good, it’s wonderful, I’m blessed to be in second place-hallelujah,” Thompson said, never once breaking character.

Natalie Peak, Louisville sophomore, came to see the show with her friends.

“I thought it was a great show, they really committed to their parts,” she said.

In the end, Miss Gender Bender 2008 was Miss Gender Bender 2009-Brown Sugar. With a gracious smile, the winner received a bottle of wine.