Transgender star Carmen Carrera wows Houston crowd

Carmen Carrera - transgender superstar, activist and "RuPaul's Drag Race" contestant - interacts with audience while performing at a special edition of "So You Think You Can Drag," a weekly amateur drag show, for Pride week at South Beach Thursday, June 22, 2017, in Houston. less Carmen Carrera - transgender superstar, activist and "RuPaul's Drag Race" contestant - interacts with audience while performing at a special edition of "So You Think You Can Drag," a weekly amateur drag show, ... more Photo: Yi-Chin Lee, Houston Chronicle Photo: Yi-Chin Lee, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 89 Caption Close Transgender star Carmen Carrera wows Houston crowd 1 / 89 Back to Gallery

Carmen Carrera has rallied for transgender rights in the U.S. and Brazil, walked designer runways and appeared alongside Meryl Streep in "Ricki and the Flash."

And she still knows how to lip sync for her life.

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Carrera, a transgender performer and activist who appeared on Season 3 of "RuPaul's Drag Race," spent Thursday night in Houston co-hosting a Pride edition of So You Think You Can Drag at South Beach nightclub in Montrose. So You Think You Can Drag is a weekly amateur drag contest, hosted by legendary entertainer Kofi, that regularly draws a big, young crowd of fans.

Carrera herself took to the floor for several numbers, including SWV's "Right Here" and Salt-N-Pepa's "Shoop," songs she said reflected the joyous spirit of Pride.

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She credited the drag community with embracing her at the start of her career and giving her the confidence to accept herself as a transgender woman.

"At the end of the day, I do what I want to do," she posted early Friday morning on her Facebook page. If it's a runway show, a drag show, a photo shoot, a TV show or a movie. I do what I feel like."

So You Think You Can Drag is notable for embracing a diverse array of drag, from traditional performers to bearded ladies to biological men and women presenting as male and female.

Thursday night's performances included David Bowie's "Let's Dance," Madonna's "Vogue" and a Triie Mattel-esque reworking of "Barbie Girl." One performer even riffed on current "Drag Race" star Valentina's disastrous lip sync, complete with mask and RuPaul scolding.

Pride events continue through the weekend.