The Art Of Drag And Female Impersonation - 1082 Words

From Shakespeare to the Stonewall march, the art of drag or female impersonation has always had its place in popular culture. After centuries of actors performing and perfecting this craft, drag and female impersonation has found its way into the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) communities. In New York City during the 1950’s, the LGBTQ communities embraced drag, and female impersonation in underground competitions and celebrations called balls. Here gay men and transgender people would dress in elaborate costumes, and couture outfits in order to live fantasies of superstardom, to win locally renowned titles such as: Butch queen, Realness, or Eleganza. Until the 1980’s, drag remained an underground â€Å"gay† performance art style, and was viewed as weird or abnormal by the greater public. In 1983 a gay man named RuPaul Andre Charles emerged in the Atlanta City punk scene, originally as a member of a grunge group called Wee Wee Pole. The group p layed around with many different looks, but became known in the scene for their â€Å"genderfuck† look. This was an androgynous style that played with both male and female fashion and cultural stereotypes. RuPaul soon left the Wee Wee Poles, moved to New York City, and became renowned for his elaborate gender non-conforming looks. As he emerged into popular culture, he developed his current more sanitized look, in order to introduce drag to the mainstream viewers. This sanitized look was more passable, in that he stronglyShow MoreRelatedThe Male Dan In Chinese Opera Essay2245 Words   |  9 Pagesrepresentative artist in Beijing Opera because of his perfection as a female impersonator. Cheng Dieyi, much like Mei Langfan, is the most popular male dan(female role) at the time in the film. The most intriguing aspect of the film is the similarity between Yu Ji’s life and Cheng’s. As Director Chen explains in an interview with BOMB Magazine, â€Å"He (Cheng) blurs the distinction between theater and life, male and female. He’s addicted to his art. He’s a tragic man who only wants to pursue an ideal of beautyRead MoreDrag Culture Essay1541 Words   |  7 Pagesthe most well known drag queens in todays times, â€Å"If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love someone else.† Since the 1500s, men can be seen dressing up as women for entertainment and comedic effect, but since then drag has evolved from just grand performances to a symbol for acceptance and individuality. Recently, drag has been dissected and looked at under a microscope by those who only see what is on the sparkly surface. What has been found is that drag culture is much moreRead MoreThe Complicated Politics Of Gender Identity Essay3466 Words   |  14 PagesSecond Eclogue traditionally said to express his own ardent desire for handsome young Alexis was standard reading for Renaissance schoolboys throughout Europe. Inspired by classical ideals of physical beauty embodied in surviving sculptures, the visual arts cultivated a new esthetic of an atomically realistic and sensuous human corporeality, with much androgynous or muscular male nudity, sometimes directly treating homophile or homoerotic subjects. Such cultural conditions would support Mario DiGangi’sRead MoreSummary : Tigress 10460 Words   |  42 Pagessurviving subspecies. Males attain a total nose-to-tail length of 270 to 310 cm (110 to 120 in) and weigh between 180 to 258 kg (397 to 569 lb), while females range from 240 to 265 cm (94 to 104 in) and 100 to 160 kg (220 to 350 lb).[17][18] In northern India and Nepal, the average is larger; males can weigh up to 235 kilograms (518 lb), while females average 140 kilograms (310 lb).[19] Coat color varies from light yellow to reddish yellow with black stripes.[20] Tigerramki.jpg Indochinese tiger (P