Essay On Drag Queens
Today there continues to be a strong conflict over the ideas of gender and their roles in society. Gender as a social construct creates order in what it means to be an ideal male or female as well as structures the definitions of what is masculine or feminine. Anyone who deviates from their assigned gender is punished through ridicule and shame.
Often times, when a woman adopts masculine attributes she receives less mockery because she is striving to join a higher class of species that is believed to naturally possess more power. It seems that men find this to be an honorable attempt of integration and find it more acceptable than when a male acquires feminine traits because it is a sign that they are giving up their male authority and choosing …show more content…
The performance art of drag is meant to take distinct gender norms, mix them into a blender, and produce a discussion, as well as visual display, of gender fluidity. Drag queens are meant to close the gender gap by advertising and supporting every degree of gender.
A drag queen is usually explained as a man (usually gay) impersonating a woman, or several women, for the purpose of entertainment or performance. They can range from those who do it as a job to those who do it as a form of artistic expression. Drag shouldn’t be confused with transvestism, which is very similar, in the sense that involves cross dressing and switching gender roles. Most transvestites do not cross dress to be seen, as drag queens are, but to feel like a woman. Transvestism can also be a sexual fetish, whereas drag rarely is.
Drag isn’t a new development or a ‘fad’. The practice of men dressing up as women has been going on for quite some time. It started in a theatrical setting, with female impersonation going back to ancient Roman literature and classical Chinese theatre. Since women were generally banned from performing on stage, men had to perform all of the parts. We can see early forms of traditional drag appearing towards the late 1800s and early 20th
Often times, when a woman adopts masculine attributes she receives less mockery because she is striving to join a higher class of species that is believed to naturally possess more power. It seems that men find this to be an honorable attempt of integration and find it more acceptable than when a male acquires feminine traits because it is a sign that they are giving up their male authority and choosing …show more content…
The performance art of drag is meant to take distinct gender norms, mix them into a blender, and produce a discussion, as well as visual display, of gender fluidity. Drag queens are meant to close the gender gap by advertising and supporting every degree of gender.
A drag queen is usually explained as a man (usually gay) impersonating a woman, or several women, for the purpose of entertainment or performance. They can range from those who do it as a job to those who do it as a form of artistic expression. Drag shouldn’t be confused with transvestism, which is very similar, in the sense that involves cross dressing and switching gender roles. Most transvestites do not cross dress to be seen, as drag queens are, but to feel like a woman. Transvestism can also be a sexual fetish, whereas drag rarely is.
Drag isn’t a new development or a ‘fad’. The practice of men dressing up as women has been going on for quite some time. It started in a theatrical setting, with female impersonation going back to ancient Roman literature and classical Chinese theatre. Since women were generally banned from performing on stage, men had to perform all of the parts. We can see early forms of traditional drag appearing towards the late 1800s and early 20th