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Showing posts with label drag queen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label drag queen. Show all posts
Monday, November 10, 2008
Gender-Bending, Squared
It's a common misconception by those not-in-the-know, I think, that drag queens are simply men who want to be women, and drag kings are simply women who want to be men. The non-queer community has a pretty difficult time differentiating between all those similar T-words- transgender, transsexual, transvestite. Don't even get 'em started on transfags or transdykes! So there's a tendency to believe that if 
you like dressing up and acting like the opposite sex, the only possible reason is because of deep-seated desires to become that sex.Well, cross-dressing transfolk and transfolk in drag totally put that to shame. And I decided to give them some blogspace, to combat the above silly idea (as well as because I find it wonderfully hot and deliciously subversive).
Even though FtM Dan, here in these pictures, (lifted from Photographer Richard A. Chase's journal Commentaries and Love Letters", where you can find a wonderful description of Dan, as well as his own words), is cross-dressing as part of neither a kink nor a drag routine, but instead almost as a way to revisit his past, it's still somewhat incredible to see. If you get confused at the idea of a straight crossdressing man, get ready for your head to spin at Dan- a guy who used to be a girl, dressed in girl's clothes.FtM Adrian Dalton, however, is dressing up in women's clothes for the stage, and his drag persona, the lovely, campy Miss Lola, appears below at roughly 5:49.
If you scour the Internet for MtF drag kings, you do find a few, and they all seem think they're the only ones (yes, we totally need to get them together). The most famous, perhaps, is Brooklynne M. Thomas, who performs as drag king persona U.B. Mackin and his sister persona, Pandora Paradox. But Brooklynne rocks most in my eyes for her brilliant rationale for being a transwoman drag king, "Dissection Of A MtF Drag King".
And let us not forget the wonderful Traci Klawes, who tours with the drag king troupe The Milton Kings and the Tranny Roadshow as Willie P. Fister.
And here's transwoman Natalie practices her drag king routine (her persona is the cleverly-named Isa Jak Ingov).
I just adore all these crazy gender-benders, whose donning of drag is only more of a confirmation that transsexuality is a genetic thing- about the body (and a profound statement on our gender duality- the masculinity and femininity within all of us). Plus, they're SEX-AY!
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Feel Better About Yourself, Now!
No, I'm not talking about diets, exercise, showers, self-help books, self-esteem seminars, makeovers, new wardrobes, a sassy new haircut, new boyfriends/girlfriends, finally getting laid in, like, forever, having your mother call and actually not set you up for self-sabotage, Dr. Phil, a very welcoming religion-slash-cult, or naked "I love me!" sessions with your mirror.I'm talking about Daily Drag Queen Affirmations! (Or, DDQA, as it's called). Each morning you receive an email that links you to that day’s video: a man, dressed up like a woman, giving you praise or an uplifting thought that will hopefully brighten your day. As they say- "it’s like those little page-a-day calendars except fiercer and we don’t kill trees". And it's a chance to see your favorite drag performers- Jackie Beat, Willam Belli, Jazzmun . . . get out your credit card!
Because, really, what else can make you feel quite as good as a outrageous drag queen heaping you with praise? Perfect for those of us who don't know any real life queens, or those who do but would love to escape the catty and bitchy wit that can just as easily tear down that good vibe.
I find this site absolutely hilarious and cool and yeah, if I had $20 to spend, I'd start off my day with a laugh, too, and getting loved by a bunch of drag queens for a year.
And even better is the underlying message and rationale behind Auntie Luscious' project: that drag queens do a lot more than just look awesome and turn gender on its head. Drag organizations do amazing charity work and "It's the boys in heels who heal . . . if you're gunna look fierce you may as well act fierce, and nothing is fiercer-er than kindness, it kills 'em."
So, try it! Give it as a gift to a friend! Are you seriously telling me that there's someone out there who wouldn't benefit from this? And it's so much cheaper, and rewarding, than actually getting up and doing something that takes so much work. Let the drag queens soothe away your self-doubts.
And here's a couple of freebies, anyways:
And my crush object, Willam Belli:
See . . . doncha feel better? :)
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Drag Queen Dreams
Anybody who knows me knows that I hate wearing makeup. I mean, the odds are already stacked against me:1) It takes time. And, if you're going to do it right, at least a good fifteen minutes. I love sleep. I'd rather have a good fifteen minutes of extra sleep than having to haul my butt out of bed to apply what will presumably rub off my face two hours later. Yeah, I'm lazy.
2) Directly relatedo to #1 and linked by the laziness is the fact that I can be somewhat iffy on showers and washing my face; often I just crash into bed at the end of a long day. Easy to forget makeup, which likes to be washed off . . . and presto, you have instant, unforgiveable acne!
3) I hate the way it feels. I like to be comfortable- everywhere. Hair down and natural (no stiff, gelled-up locks I can't run my fingers through), loose clothes, flat shoes, and I can hardly even stand my bra. Makeup literally feels greasy and heavy on my face; I can't stand it.
4) I don't want to be self-conscious. My few forays of wearing makeup, particularly eye makeup, have shown that I touch my face a lot. If I want to leave it unmarred, I have to concentrate on it, and that makes me a whole lot less laid-back and happy.
5) It's expensive. At least, the good stuff is. And I'd rather spend my money on books, movies, CD's, porn, and food.
6) It makes me look less like myself. Just like lots of people are unrecognizable without their makeup, I look like a different person, and what's more, everybody wonders why. All of the sudden it becomes "Oh, you look pretty today! What's the occasion?". And when I have none, I feel foolish. Moreover, I don't want to suddenly be a slave to makeup, having to wear it lest people judge made-up me to non-made-up me. And of course, I'm not going to be one of those ridiculous girls who put on makeup only to have it look like I'm wearing none.
And there are more reasons. But that's why I just don't want to wear makeup on a regular basis. Having said all of that, though . . .
I fucking love playing dress-up. There's nothing like having a free afternoon and getting the old urge to rifle through my cosmetic pots to come up with something crazy, wild, and unapologetically queer. So I thought I'd share some fun "drag queen"-style shots I got when I did a little impromptu photoshoot after playing dress-up. They came out so suprisingly good . . . even if they don't look hardly drag queeny (Sigh. How can I get the great makeup skills they have?).
If I was feeling more up to it, I'd make this post deep and introspective- all about how my love of over-the-top makeup is probably hiding interesting issues of fear of femininity and competition with women, and how my identification with drag queens hints at discomfort with acknowledging my female gender or maybe is an attempt to trivialize femme urgings that I feel are too "mainstream" for a wacked-out girl who desperately wants to be read as queer.But I'm too tired for that. Concentrate on pretty pictures, instead.
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