This article is about cross-dressing in general, see transvestic fetishism for cross-dressing for sexual reasons, and transvestism (disambiguation) for other uses. Transvestic fetishism is having a sexual or erotic interest in Cross-dressing.

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Cross-dressing is the act of wearing clothing commonly associated with another gender within a particular society. Transgender (trænzˈdʒɛndɚ from ( Latin) derivatives Androgyny is a term derived from the Greek words ανήρ ( anér, meaning man and γυνή ( gyné, meaning woman that can refer to either of two Bigender (bi+gender is a tendency to move between masculine and feminine Gender -typed behaviour depending on context expressing a distinctly " Drag kings are mostly female Performance artists who dress in masculine drag and personify male Gender stereotypes as part of their performance A drag queen is a person usually a man who dresses (or "drags" in female clothes and make-up for special occasions and usually because they are performing and entertaining Genderqueer and intergender are catchall terms for gender identities other than man and woman Intersexuality is the state of a living thing of a gonochoristic species whose Sex chromosomes, Genitalia, and/or Secondary sex characteristics Questioning is a term that can refer to a person who is questioning their Gender, Sexual identity or Sexual orientation. The terms third gender and third sex describe individuals who are considered to be neither women nor men as well as the social category present in those societies who recognize Transsexualism is a condition in which a person identifies with a physical Sex different from the one with which they were born This article deals with the history of the word 'transvestite' LGBT history refers to the History of Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and Transgender peoples and cultures around the world dating back Gynephilia (or gynophilia) (From Greek gunē, "women" + -philia, "love" is the romantic and/or sexual attraction to adult Transsexual people are those who establish a permanent identity with the Gender opposite to that which they were assigned at birth Transgender is a complex topic where consensual and precise definitions have not yet been reached IMPORTANT!!!! Please note If you add a movie to this list please add it to the List of lesbian gay bisexual or transgender-related films by year article as well The people on this list have been selected because their fame or notoriety is in some way due Clothing (also called clothes, accoutrements, accouterments, or habiliments) protects the Human body from extreme Weather A gender role is defined as a set of perceived behavioural norms associated particularly with Males or Females in a given social group or system A society is a Population of Humans characterized by patterns of relationships between individuals that share a distinctive Culture and Institutions ^[1] The usage of the term, the types of cross-dressing both in modern times and throughout history, an analysis of the behaviour, and historical examples are discussed in the article below.

Nearly every human society throughout history has distinguished between male and female gender by the style, color, or type of clothing they wear and has had a set of norms, views, guidelines, or even laws defining what type of clothing is appropriate for each gender. Clothing is an aspect of Human physical appearance, and like other aspects of human physical appearance it has social significance Cross-dressing is a behavior which runs significantly counter to those norms and therefore can be seen as a type of transgender behavior. Transgender (trænzˈdʒɛndɚ from ( Latin) derivatives Behavior or behaviour (see spelling differences) refers to the actions or Reactions of an object or Organism, usually It does not, however, necessarily indicate transgender identity; a person who cross-dresses does not always identify as having a gender different from that assigned at birth. Gender identity (or core gender identity) is a person's own sense of Identification as Male or Female.

The term cross-dressing denotes an action or a behavior without attributing or proposing causes for that behavior. Some people automatically connect cross-dressing behavior to transgender identity or sexual, fetishist, and homosexual behavior, but the term cross-dressing itself does not imply any motives. Generally speaking human sexuality is how people experience and express themselves as sexual beings Sexual fetishism, or erotic fetishism, is the Sexual attraction to materials and objects not conventionally viewed as being sexual in nature Homosexuality refers to sexual behavior with or attraction to people of the same sex or to a Homosexual orientation. However, referring to a person as a cross-dresser suggests that their cross-dressing behavior is habitual and may be taken to mean that the person identifies as transgendered. The term cross-dresser should therefore be used with care to avoid causing misunderstanding or offense.

Contents 1 Varieties of cross-dressing 2 Clothes 3 Social issues 4 Analyses 4.1 Female-bodied cross-dressers 4.2 The classic psychoanalytic view 4.3 The problem of attributing motives for cross-dressing 5 Some famous examples of cross-dressing 5.1 In Greek mythology 5.2 In Norse myths and legends 5.3 In Indian mythology: The Mahabharata 5.4 Famous historical examples of cross-dressing people 5.5 Cultural examples of cross-dressing 5.5.1 Folklore 5.5.2 Literature 5.5.3 Theater 5.5.3.1 Cross-dressing characters 5.5.3.2 Cross-dressing actors and actresses 5.5.4 Opera 5.5.5 Music 5.5.6 Cross-dressers from other fields 6 See also 7 References 8 Further reading

Varieties of cross-dressing

There are many different kinds of cross-dressing, and many different reasons why an individual might engage in cross-dressing behaviour. ^[2]

Some people cross-dress as a matter of comfort or style. They have a preference towards clothing which is only marketed to or associated with the opposite sex. In this case, a person's cross-dressing may or may not be visible to other people.

Some people cross-dress in order to shock others or challenge social norms. Social norms have been defined as "the rules that a group uses for appropriate and inappropriate values beliefs attitudes and behaviors

Both men and women may cross-dress in order to disguise their true identity. Historically, some women have cross-dressed in order to take up male-dominated or male-exclusive professions, such as military service. Conversely, some men have cross-dressed in order to escape from mandatory military service. ^[3]

Single-sex theatrical troupes often have some performers cross-dress in order to play roles written for members of the opposite sex. Cross-dressing, particularly the depiction of males wearing dresses, is often used for comic effect onstage and onscreen. A dress (also frock, gown) is a garment consisting of a Skirt with an attached Bodice or with a matching bodice giving the effect of a one-piece

Drag is a special form of performance art based on cross-dressing. Drag in its broadest sense means any clothing one wears however the traditional use of the term is for any Costume or outfit that carries symbolic significance A drag queen is usually a male-bodied person who performs as an exaggeratedly feminine character, in heightened costuming sometimes consisting of a showy dress, high-heeled shoes, obvious makeup, and wig. A drag queen is a person usually a man who dresses (or "drags" in female clothes and make-up for special occasions and usually because they are performing and entertaining A wig is a head of Hair made from horse-hair human hair wool feathers buffalo hair or synthetic worn on the head for fashion or various other aesthetic and stylistic A drag queen may imitate famous female film or pop-music stars. A faux queen is a female-bodied person employing the same techniques. A faux queen or bio queen is a " Drag queen trapped in a woman's body" sometimes called a "biologically-challenged" drag queen or a "female

A drag king is a counterpart of the drag queen but usually for much different audiences. Drag kings are mostly female Performance artists who dress in masculine drag and personify male Gender stereotypes as part of their performance A female-bodied person (often lesbians) who adopt a masculine persona in performance or imitates a male film or pop-music star. A lesbian is a Woman who is romantically or sexually attracted only to other women Some female-bodied people undergoing gender reassignment therapy also self-identify as drag kings although this use of "drag king" would generally be considered inaccurate. Sex reassignment therapy (SRT is an Umbrella term for all medical procedures regarding sex reassignment of both Transgender and Intersexual people

Transgendered people who are undergoing or have undergone gender reassignment therapy are usually not regarded as cross-dressing. Namely, a transsexual who has completed gender reassignment surgery is certainly not considered cross-dressing, unless they were to wear clothes of the gender opposite of what they have transitioned to. Sex reassignment surgery (SRS gender reassignment surgery, or sex-change operation is a term for the Surgical procedures by which a person's physical Pre-operative transsexuals may be considered similarly.

A transvestic fetishist is a person (typically a heterosexual male) who cross-dresses as part of a sexual fetish. Transvestic fetishism is having a sexual or erotic interest in Cross-dressing. Heterosexuality refers to sexual behavior with or attraction to people of the opposite sex or to a heterosexual orientation Sexual fetishism, or erotic fetishism, is the Sexual attraction to materials and objects not conventionally viewed as being sexual in nature

The term underdressing is used by male cross-dressers to describe wearing female undergarments under their male clothes. The famous low-budget filmmaker Edward D. Wood, Jr. said he often wore women's underwear under his military uniform during World War II. Ed Wood redirects here For the film see Ed Wood (film, and for the former British Foreign Secretary see E

Some people who cross-dress may endeavour to project a complete impression of belonging to another gender, down to mannerisms, speech patterns, and emulation of sexual characteristics. Mannerism is a period of European art which emerged from the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520. Speech refers to the processes associated with the production and perception of Sounds used in Spoken language. A sex-determination system is a biological system that determines the development of sexual characteristics in an Organism. This is referred to as passing or "trying to pass" depending how successful the person is. Passing, in regard to Gender identity, refers to a person's ability to be accepted or regarded as a member of the sex or gender with which they identify or with which they An observer who sees through the cross-dresser's attempt to pass is said to have read them. There are books and magazines on how a man may look more like a woman. ^[4]

Sometimes either person of a heterosexual couple will wear it to arouse the other. For example, the Male would wear skirts or lingerie and/or the Female will wear boxers or other male clothing. (See also forced feminization)

Others may choose to take a mixed approach, adopting some feminine traits and some masculine traits in their appearance. The term feminization has been used to refer to a range of sexual practices and alternative lifestyle activities involving exchange of Gender roles Feminization For instance, a man might wear both a dress and a beard. A dress (also frock, gown) is a garment consisting of a Skirt with an attached Bodice or with a matching bodice giving the effect of a one-piece This is sometimes known as genderfuck. Genderfuck is a Portmanteau which refers to the self-conscious effort to " Fuck with" or play with traditional notions of Gender identity,

Clothes

The actual determination of cross-dressing is largely socially constructed. A social construction or social construct is any phenomenon "invented" or "constructed" by participants in a particular Culture or Society For example, in Western society, trousers have been adopted for wear by women, and is not regarded as cross-dressing. In cultures where men have traditionally worn skirt-like garments such as the kilt or sarong these are not seen as female clothing, and wearing them is not seen as cross-dressing for men. The kilt is a knee-length garment with pleats at the rear originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century A sarong or sarung (ˈsaɾoŋ in Malay, and səˈrɒŋ in English) is a large sheet of fabric, often wrapped around the waist and worn as As societies are becoming more global in nature, both men and women are adopting styles of dress associated with other cultures.

It was once taboo in Western society for women to wear clothes traditionally associated with men, excepting certain circumstances, such as for necessity (as per St. Thomas Aquinas's guidelines in Summa Theologiae II), or in the case of the "holy transvestites" (cross-dressing female saints), of which there were many. A taboo is a strong Social prohibition (or ban) against words objects actions or discussions that are considered undesirable or offensive by a group culture The limiting guidelines on acceptability seemed to focus on passing; the taboo was most strongly focused on the blending of genders. ^[5]. Cross dressing is somewhat cited as an "abomination" in the Bible in the book of Deuteronomy (22:5), although even in the Middle Ages, its applicability was occasionally disputed and still is. Deuteronomy (Greek deuteronomion, Δευτερονόμιον "second law" is the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible and of the Old Testament

The 15th century French feminist Martin le Franc, concerning Joan of Arc:

Don't you see that it was forbidden

That anyone should eat of an animal

Unless it had a cleft foot

And chewed its cud?

To eat of a hare no one dared

Neither of sow nor of piglet,

Yet should you now be offered any,

You would take many a morsel. Joan of Arc (c 1412 Joan asserted that she had visions from God that told her to recover her homeland from English domination late in the Hundred Years' ^[6]

While this prohibition remained in force in general throughout the middle and early modern ages, this is no longer the case and Western women are often seen wearing trousers, ties, and men's hats. Nevertheless, many cultures around the world still prohibit women from wearing trousers or other traditionally male clothing.

Cosplaying may also involve cross-dressing, for some females may wish to dress as a male, and vice versa (see Crossplay). short for "costume play" is a type of performance art whose participants outfit themselves with often-elaborate Costumes and Accessories, as a specific Crossplay is Cosplay in which the person dresses up as a character of the opposite Gender. Breast binding (for females) is not uncommon and is most likely needed to cosplay a male character.

In most parts of the world it remains socially frowned upon for men to wear clothes traditionally associated with women. Attempts are occasionally made, e. g. by fashion designers, to promote the acceptance of skirts as everyday wear for men. Men's skirts are Skirts worn by Men. The wearing of a skirt is conventionally in North America and much of Europe an expression of a female role Cross-dressers have complained that society permits women to wear pants or jeans and other masculine clothing, while condemning any man who wants to wear clothing sold for women.

While most male cross-dressers utilise clothing associated with modern women, there are some who are involved in subcultures that involve dressing as little girls or in vintage clothing. Some such men have written that they enjoy dressing as feminine as possible, so they will wear frilly dresses with lace and ribbons, as well as multiple petticoats, corsets, girdles and/or garter belts with nylon stockings. A petticoat or underskirt is an article of Clothing for Women; specifically an Undergarment to be worn under a Skirt, dress or A corset is a Garment worn to mold and shape the Torso into a desired shape for Aesthetic or medical purposes (either for the duration of wearing it or This article is about the item of clothing In the Scots language, girdle refers to a cooking griddle. Garters are articles of Clothing: narrow bands of fabric fastened about the leg used to keep Stockings up Pantyhose (also called tights) are sheer, close fitting coverings of the body from the Waist to the feet ^[7]

Social issues

Cross-dressers may begin wearing their opposite sex's clothing as children, using the clothes of a sibling, parent, or friend. Some parents have said they allowed their children to cross-dress and, in many cases, the child stopped when they became older. The same pattern often continues into adulthood, where there may be confrontations with a spouse. Married cross-dressers experience considerable anxiety and guilt if their spouse objects to their behaviour. Some cross-dressers have periodically disposed of all their clothing, a practice called "purging", only to start another collection later. ^[2]

Analyses

Female-bodied cross-dressers

The behaviour of women in general has historically often received less attention than that of men, and cross-dressing is no exception. However, there are some famous examples of cross-dressing female-bodied persons in history (see Famous historical examples of cross-dressing people below).

In modern Western societies, cross-dressing behaviour in women is more difficult to identify as a large number of traditionally men's clothing such as trousers have become socially acceptable for both genders to wear, leaving few types of clothing that are only socially acceptable for men to wear. A woman can even wear men's shirts, trousers, and underwear without it being noticed or considered as crossdressing, as very similar clothing items are produced for women.

Social acceptance plays a large role in the perceived low numbers of women crossdressers for the simple reason that it is far more socially acceptable for a woman to be seen wearing men's clothes than a man to be seen wearing women's clothes. Therefore a woman wearing rugged jeans and a plaid shirt would not garner much attention, whereas a man wearing a skirt and high heels would instantly be deemed a cross-dresser. Since the advent of feminism, women have been held to much more lax standards of gender expression and dress, allowing them to still express their femininity but at the same time not being constrained to the feminine ideal as in ages past. Men, on the other hand, are still subject to the same social constraints that existed before the advent of feminism. Thus, men are being held just as much (if not more) to the same standards of masculinity as in the past, and a display of seemingly opposite gender behaviour on a man's part is socially taboo. Therefore the reason it is so hard to have statistics for female-bodied crossdressers is that the line where non-crossdressing stops and crossdressing begins has become blurred, whereas the same line for men is just as defined. This is one of the many issues being addressed by the modern-day masculist movement, the male-equivalent of the feminist movement. Masculism (or Masculinism) has two contrasting meanings When used by self-identified masculists the term refers to social theories, Political movements

The classic psychoanalytic view

Classic psychoanalytic views of cross-dressing emphasized the role of taboo in the behaviour. A taboo is a strong Social prohibition (or ban) against words objects actions or discussions that are considered undesirable or offensive by a group culture Only items that were proscribed to a gender would be appropriated, and therefore it is not the general association of an item with one sex or the other but the prohibitions against the item that give satisfaction to those with a fetish attachment to cross-dressing. Sexual fetishism, or erotic fetishism, is the Sexual attraction to materials and objects not conventionally viewed as being sexual in nature According to this theory, as articles become acceptable for ordinary wear (e. g. a man's necktie on a woman, which passed from taboo to fashion in the 1970s) they will cease to be sought by cross-dressers. The necktie (or tie) is a long piece of cloth worn around the neck resting under the shirt collar and knotted at the throat

Some psychoanalysts today do not regard cross-dressing by itself a psychological problem, unless it interferes with the functioning of a person's life. "For instance," said Dr. Joseph Merlino, Senior Editor of the book Freud at 150: 21st Century Essays on a Man of Genius, "I'm a cross-dresser and I don't want to keep it confined to my circle of friends, or my party circle, and I want to take that to my wife and I don't understand why she doesn't accept it, or I take it to my office and I don't understand why they don't accept it, then it's become a problem because it's interfering with my relationships and environment. Joseph Merlino is an American Psychiatrist and author Dr Merlino is the Director of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Queens Hospital Center in New "^[8]

The problem of attributing motives for cross-dressing

When speaking of historical figures, when cross-dressing is not clearly related to specific events (like an escape or disguise) it is usually impossible to state clearly what the motives for cross-dressing were. This information was rarely recorded or preserved. Documents on the subject are often either court records (where the cross-dressing person may have said whatever they thought would minimize their punishment) or accounts by other people who might not understand the motivations correctly. A court is a forum used by a power base to adjudicate disputes and dispense civil, labour administrative and criminal Justice under its Furthermore, historic figures were often unable to identify themselves as homosexual, transgender, transsexual, or transvestite because these classifications simply had no names or social recognition in their era. Transsexualism is a condition in which a person identifies with a physical Sex different from the one with which they were born

It can be equally difficult to be certain of the motives of modern day people who cross-dress. The only real proof of motive is that person's own statement. Yet even this is not always certain, as there are examples of people attributing their cross-dressing behaviour to one motive only to later realize that they may have had another reason. The classical example of this would be a transsexual person who initially attributed cross-dressing behaviour to transvestic fetishism (for transwomen) or the utilitarian practicality of male clothing (for transmen).

Another problem which many cross dressers recognize in the attempt to attribute motives for their behaviour is the pathologization of cross dressing inherent in this sort of research. Many cross dressers feel, that rather than attributing motives for cross dressing, research should rather focus on the reasons for why cross dressing is considered taboo by society, or why clothing is gender-segregated at all.

Some famous examples of cross-dressing

In Greek mythology

• In punishment for his murder of Iphitus, Heracles/Hercules was given to Omphale as a slave. Thor ( Old Norse: Þórr) is the red-haired and bearded God of Thunder in Germanic paganism and its subset Norse paganism In Cryptography, LOKI89 and LOKI91 are Block ciphers designed as possible replacements for the Data Encryption Standard (DES In Greek mythology, Heracles or Herakles ("glory of Hera " or Hercules is the Roman name for the Mythical Greek hero Heracles, son of Zeus and the mortal Alcmena. For the city in Sicily formerly called Omphale see Daedalium. Many variants of this story say that she not only compelled him to do women's work, but compelled him to dress as a woman while her slave.
• Achilles dressed in women's clothing at the court of Lycomedes in order to speak to Ulysses. "Achilleus" redirects here For the emperor with this name see Achilleus (emperor. Lycomedes (also known as Lycurgus) in Greek mythology, was the King of Scyros during the Trojan War.
• Athena often goes to the aid of people in the guise of men in The Odyssey. ATHENA was an Antimatter research project that took place at the AD Ring at CERN. The Odyssey ( Greek: Ὀδύσσεια or Odússeia) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer.

In Norse myths and legends

• Thor dressed as Freyja in order to get Mjölnir back in Þrymskviða. Thor ( Old Norse: Þórr) is the red-haired and bearded God of Thunder in Germanic paganism and its subset Norse paganism Freyja (sometimes anglicized as Freya) is a major goddess in Norse Paganism, a subset of Germanic Paganism. Þrymskviða (the name can be anglicized as Thrymskviða, Thrymskvitha, Thrymskvidha or Thrymskvida) is one of the
• Odin dressed as a female healer as part of his efforts to seduce Rindr. Odin (ˈoʊdɪn from Old Norse Óðinn) is considered the chief god in Norse paganism.
• Loki transformed himself into a mare (thus crossdressing and making oneself look nonhuman) and in that form became the mother of Sleipnir. In Cryptography, LOKI89 and LOKI91 are Block ciphers designed as possible replacements for the Data Encryption Standard (DES Shapeshifting is a common theme in Mythology and Folklore, as well as in Science fiction and Fantasy. In Norse mythology, Sleipnir is Odin 's eight-legged steed and the greatest of all Horses His name means smooth or gliding, and is In Lokasenna, he and Odin taunt each other with having taken on women's forms, bearing babies and nursing them, but the further details of myths behind those taunts have not survived. Lokasenna ( Loki's flyting, Loki's wrangling, Loki's quarrel) is one of the mythological poems of the Poetic Edda.
• Hagbard in the Scandinavian legend of Hagbard and Signy (the Romeo and Juliet of the Vikings). Hagbard, the brother of Haki and son of Hamund, was a famous Scandinavian Sea-king, in Norse mythology. Hagbard and Signy (Signe (the Viking Age) or Habor and Sign ( h) ild (the Middle Ages and later were a pair of Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the A Viking is one of the Norse ( Scandinavian Explorers Warriors Merchants, and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas After having slain Signy's brothers and suitors, Hagbard was no longer welcome in the hall of Signy's father Sigar. The name Sigar can refer to three people in Scandinavian mythology, surrounding the legends of Sigurd the dragon slayer Hagbard then dressed up as one of his brother Haki's shieldmaidens in order to have access to the chambers of his beloved. Hake, Haki or Haco, the brother of Hagbard, was a famous Scandinavian Sea-king, in Norse mythology. shieldmaiden was a Virgin who had chosen to fight as a warrior in Scandinavian folklore and mythology and they are often mentioned in Sagas such When the handmaidens washed his legs, they asked him why they were so furry and why his hands were so calloused. Because of this, he invented a clever verse to explain his strange appearance. Signy, however, who understood that it was Hagbard who had come to see her, explained to the maidens that his verse was truthful. Hagbard was, however, deceived by the handmaidens and he was arrested by Sigar's warriors. Hagbard was hanged and Signy committed suicide as Hagbard watched from the gallows.
• Frotho I dressed as a shieldmaiden in one of his eastern campaigns. Frotho I is one of the Legendary Danish kings in Saxo Grammaticus ' Gesta Danorum where he has a substantial biography
• Hervor from Hervarar saga. Hervor is the name of two characters in the cycle of the Magic sword Tyrfing, presented in Hervarar saga with parts are found in the Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks is a Legendary saga from the 13th century combining matter from several older sagas When Hervor learnt that her father had been the infamous Swedish berserker Angantyr, she dressed as a man, called herself Hjörvard and lived for a long time as a Viking. Angantyr was the name of three characters from the same line in Norse mythology, and who appear in Hervarar saga, in Gesta Danorum

In Indian mythology: The Mahabharata

• In the Agnyatbaas ("exile") period of one year imposed upon the Pandavas, Arjuna crossdressed as Brihannala and became a dance teacher.

Famous historical examples of cross-dressing people

Famous historical examples of cross-dressing people include:

• Hua Mulan, the central figure of the Ballad of Mulan (and of the Disney film Mulan), may be a historical or fictional figure. Hua Mulan She is the Heroine who joined an all-male army described in a famous Chinese Poem known as the Ballad of Mulan. Mulan is a 1998 Animated feature film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, and released by Walt Disney Pictures on June 19 1998 She is said to have lived in China during the Northern Wei dynasty, and to have posed as a man in order to fulfil the household drafting quota, thus saving her ill and aged father from having to serve. The Northern Wei Dynasty (北魏 Pinyin: běi wèi 386 - 534) also known as the Tuoba Wei (拓拔魏 Later Wei (後魏 or
• Several tales of the Desert Fathers speak of monks who were disguised women, a fact discovered only when their bodies were prepared for burial. Desert Fathers were Christian Hermits, Ascetics and Monks who lived mainly in the Scetes desert of Egypt, beginning around One such woman, St. Mary of Alexandria, died 508, accompanied her father to a monastery and adopted a monk's habit as a disguise. Saint Marina the Monk (sometimes known as Pelagia Mary of Alexandria Marinus Marinos Marina the Syrian) (6th century? is venerated as a Saint. When she was falsely accused of having gotten a woman pregnant, she patiently bore the accusation without revealing her identity to clear her name, an action praised in medieval books of saints' lives as an example of humble forbearance.
• The legend of Pope Joan alleges that she was a promiscuous female pope who dressed like a man and reigned from 855 to 858. A legend ( Latin, legenda, "things to be read" is a Narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to Pope Joan is the name of a Female Pope (also La Papessa) who supposedly reigned for less than three years in the 850s between the papacies of History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and Modern historians regard her as a mythical figure who originated from 13th century anti-papal satire. See also History An historian is an individual who studies and writes about History, and is regarded as an Authority on it An urban legend or urban myth is a form of modern Folklore consisting of stories thought to be factual by those circulating them Satire is often strictly defined as a literary genre or form; although in practice it is also found in the graphic and Performing arts In satire human
• Joan of Arc was a 15th century French peasant girl who joined French armies against English forces fighting in France during the latter part of the Hundred Years' War. Joan of Arc (c 1412 Joan asserted that she had visions from God that told her to recover her homeland from English domination late in the Hundred Years' This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The Hundred Years' War (Guerre de Cent Ans was a prolonged conflict lasting from 1337 to 1453 between two royal houses for the French throne vacant with the extinction of the senior She is a French national heroine and a Catholic saint. A saint (from the Latin sanctus) is a human being to whom has been attributed (and who has generally demonstrated a high level of Holiness and Sanctity After being captured by the English, she was burned at the stake upon being convicted by a religious court, with the act of dressing in male clothing being cited as one of the principal reasons for her execution. Capital punishment, the death penalty or execution, is the Killing of a person by judicial process as Punishment. A number of witnesses, however, testified that she had said she wore male clothing (consisting of two layers of pants attached to the doublet with twenty fasteners) because she feared the guards would rape her at night. ^[9]
• Anne Bonny and Mary Read were late 17th century pirates. Anne Bonny ( March 8, 1700 - possibly April 25, 1782) was an Irish American Pirate who plied her trade in the Caribbean For Mary Karen Read see Virginia Tech massacre. Mary Read (do Piracy is Robbery committed at sea or sometimes on shore without a commission from a sovereign Nation (as distinct from Privateering Bonny in particular gained significant notoriety, but both were eventually captured. Unlike the rest of the male crew, Bonny and Read were not immediately executed because Read was pregnant and Bonny stated that she was pregnant as well. Pregnancy ( Latin graviditas) is the carrying of one or more offspring known as a Fetus or Embryo, inside the Uterus of a Female Pregnancy ( Latin graviditas) is the carrying of one or more offspring known as a Fetus or Embryo, inside the Uterus of a Female
• Ulrika Eleonora Stålhammar was a Swedish woman who served as a soldier during the Great Northern War and married a woman. Ulrika Eleonora Stålhammar (1688 &ndash 1733 was a Swedish female soldier and Crossdresser during the Great Northern War. The Great Northern War (1700-21 was fought between Russia and Sweden for supremacy in the Baltic Sea.
• Bonnie Prince Charlie dressed as Flora MacDonald's maid servant, Betty Burke to escape the Battle of Culloden for the island of Skye in 1746. For the US politician see Charles E Stuart For "Betty Burke" see The 'Forty-Five' below Flora MacDonald ( Gaelic: Fionnghal NicDhòmhnaill) (1722 &ndash March 4, 1790) Jacobite heroine was the daughter of Ranald For the US politician see Charles E Stuart For "Betty Burke" see The 'Forty-Five' below The Battle of Culloden (Blàr Chùil Lodair (16 April 1746 was the final clash between the French-supported Jacobites and the Hanoverian Skye or the Isle of Skye ( Scottish Gaelic An t-Eilean Sgitheanach əɲ tʰʲelan s̪kʲiə
• Ann Mills fought as a dragoon in 1740. Ann Mills was a British woman who disguised herself as a man in order to become a Dragoon. A dragoon is a soldier intended primarily to fight on foot but trained also in Horse riding and cavalry combat especially
• Hannah Snell served as a man in the Royal Marines 1747-1750, being wounded 11 times, and was granted a military pension. Hannah Snell (1723–1792 was an Englishwoman who took a man's role to become a soldier. The Royal Marines ( RM) are the marine corps and amphibious Infantry of the United Kingdom and along with the Royal Navy
• Charles-Geneviève-Louis-Auguste-André-Timothée Éon de Beaumont (1728-1810), usually known as the Chevalier d'Eon, was a French diplomat and soldier who lived the first half of his life as a man and the second half as a woman. Charles-Geneviève-Louis-Auguste-André-Timothée d'Éon de Beaumont ( October 5, 1728 - May 21, 1810) usually known as the Chevalier Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting Negotiations between representatives of groups or states A soldier is a general English term that refers to a member of a land component of National Armed forces. In 1771 he stated that physically he was not a man, but a woman, having been brought up as a man only. From then on s/he lived as a woman. On her/his death it was discovered that her/his body was anatomically male. Death is the termination of the biological functions that define living Organisms It refers both to a specific
• George Sand is the pseudonym of Amandine-Aurore-Lucile Dupin, an early 19th century French novelist who preferred to wear men's clothing exclusively. Amandine Aurore Lucile Dupin, later Baroness (French baronne) Dudevant ( July 1, 1804 &ndash June 8, 1876 A pseudonym is a fictitious alternative to a person's legal name (see Alias) A novel (from Italian novella, Spanish novela, French nouvelle for "new" "news" or "short story Clothing (also called clothes, accoutrements, accouterments, or habiliments) protects the Human body from extreme Weather In her autobiography, she explains in length the various aspects of how she experienced cross-dressing. An autobiography, from the Greek αὐτός autos "self" βίος bios "life" and γράφειν graphein "to write"
• Dorothy Lawrence was an English war reporter who disguised herself as a man so she could become a soldier in World War I. Dorothy Lawrence ( 4 October 1896 – 1964 was an English Reporter who secretly posed as a man to become a Soldier during England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland A war correspondent is a Journalist who covers stories firsthand from a war zone. Deception (also called beguilement or subterfuge) is the act of convincing another to believe Information that is not true or not the whole truth as in A soldier is a general English term that refers to a member of a land component of National Armed forces. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All
• Rrose Sélavy, the feminine alter-ego of the late French artist, Marcel Duchamp, remains one of the most complex and pervasive pieces in the enigmatic puzzle of the artist's oeuvre. Rrose Sélavy, or Rose Sélavy, was one of the pseudonyms of artist Marcel Duchamp. Marcel Duchamp (maʀsɛl dyˈʃɑ̃ (28 July 1887 &ndash 2 October 1968 was a French artist whose work is most often associated with the Dadaist and Surrealist She first emerged in portraits made by the photographer Man Ray in New York in the early 1920s, when Duchamp and Man Ray were collaborating on a number of conceptual photographic works. Man Ray, born Emmanuel Radnitzky ( August 27 1890 &ndash November 18 1976) in Philadelphia PA and raised Rrose Sélavy lived on as the person to whom Duchamp attributed specific works of art, Readymades, puns, and writings throughout his career. The readymades of Marcel Duchamp are ordinary manufactured objects that he selected and modified as an antidote to what he called "retinal art" By creating for himself this female persona whose attributes are beauty and eroticism, he deliberately and characteristically complicated the understanding of his ideas and motives. More contemporary artists like J. S. G. Boggs, Yasumasa Morimura, and Grayson Perry have also explored cross-dressing. Steve Litzner better known as James Stephen George Boggs is an American artist best known for his hand-drawn one-sided copies of U Yasumasa Morimura (森村 泰昌 June 11 1951 -) is a Japanese Appropriation artist He was born in Osaka and graduated from Kyoto Grayson Perry, (born 1960) is an English Artist, known mainly for his ceramic vases and Cross-dressing.
• Billy Tipton was a notable jazz pianist and saxophonist in the United States during the Great Depression. Billy Lee Tipton (born as Dorothy Lucille Tipton, December 29 1914 - January 21, 1989) was an American Jazz He was born Dorothy Lucille Tipton in 1914, but began living as a man in the 1930s. He was married five times to women, and adopted three boys. He led a full career as a musician and, in later life, as an entertainment agent. Other than his birth family, no one knew of his birth sex or cross-living until after his death in 1989.
• Willmer "Little Ax" Broadnax was a lead singer in several important gospel quartets, most famously the Spirit of Memphis Quartet. Willmer "Little Ax" M Broadnax, ( December 28, 1916 &ndash 1994 also known as "Little Axe" "Wilbur" "Willie" and "Wilmer" This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament The Spirit of Memphis Quartet was one of the great Gospel Quartets of the 1950s When he died in 1994, it was discovered that he was female bodied.
• Because female enlistment was barred, many women fought for both the Union and the Confederacy during the American Civil War while dressed as men. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South
• Edward Hyde, 3rd Earl of Clarendon, colonial governor of New York and New Jersey in the early 1700s is reported to have enjoyed going out wearing his wife's clothing, but this is disputed. Edward Hyde 3rd Earl of Clarendon ( 28 November 1661 &ndash 31 March 1723) styled Viscount Cornbury between 1674 and 1709 was New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. ^[10] Hyde was an unpopular figure, and rumors of his cross-dressing may have begun as an urban legend. An urban legend or urban myth is a form of modern Folklore consisting of stories thought to be factual by those circulating them

Cultural examples of cross-dressing

Cross-dressing is the subject of many works of literature and plays a significant role in popular culture. Literature is the Art of written works Literally translated the word means "acquaintance with letters" (from Latin littera letter Popular culture (or pop culture) is the Culture — patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activities significance and importance — References to cross-dressing are frequently used for comic effect. And some established events are centered around cross-dressing, such as Southern Decadence in New Orleans, where the official festivites are coordinated by the Grand Marshals, who are traditionally cross-dressers. ^[11]

Folklore

Ballads have many cross-dressing heroines. A ballad is a Poem usually set to Music; thus it often is a story told in a Song. While some (The Famous Flower of Serving-Men) merely need to move about freely, many do it specifically in pursuit of a lover (Rose Red and the White Lily or Child Waters) and consequently pregnancy often complicates the disguise. The Famous Flower of Serving-Men or The Lady turned Serving-Man is Child ballad number 106 Rose Red and the White Lily is Child ballad number 103 Synopsis Rose the Red and White Lily had lost their mother and their father had remarried an evil Child Waters is Child ballad number 63 existing in several variants

Occasionally, men in ballads also disguise themselves as women, but not only is it rarer, the men dress so for less time, because they are merely trying to elude an enemy by the disguise, as in Brown Robin, The Duke of Athole's Nurse, or Robin Hood and the Bishop. Brown Robin is Child ballad 97 Synopsis A king's daughter waits on the table at supper and falls in love with Brown Robin The Duke of Athole's Nurse is Child ballad number 212 Synopsis A man looks to meet his love -- sometimes through the intermediary of the Duke of Athole's nurse Robin Hood and the Bishop is number 143 in Francis James Child 's collection of Child ballads and describes an adventure of Robin Hood. According to Gude Wallace, William Wallace disguised himself as a woman to escape capture, which may have been based on historical information. Gude Wallace is Child ballad 157 recounting in Ballad form an exploit of William Wallace from the fourth book of Blind Harry 's Wallace Sir William Wallace ( Scottish Gaelic: Uilleam Uallas; c 1272 – 23 August 1305 was a Scottish Knight, Landowner, and Patriot

Fairy tales seldom feature cross-dressing, but an occasional heroine needs to move freely as a man, as in the German The Twelve Huntsmen, the Scottish The Tale of the Hoodie, or the Russian The Lute Player. A fairy tale or fairy story is a fictional Story that may feature folkloric characters (such as fairies, enchantments]] often involving The Twelve Huntsmen is a German Fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm as tale number 67 in their Grimm's Fairy Tales. The Tale of the Hoodie is a Scottish Fairy tale, collected by John Francis Campbell in his Popular Tales of the West Highlands. The Lute Player or The Tsaritsa Harpist is a Russian Fairy tale. Madame d'Aulnoy included such a woman in her literary fairy tale, Belle-Belle ou Le Chevalier Fortuné. Marie-Catherine Le Jumel de Barneville Baronne d'Aulnoy (1650/1651&ndash 4 January 1705) was a French Writer known for her Fairy tales Belle-Belle ou Le Chevalier Fortuné is a French literary Fairy tale, written by Madame d'Aulnoy.

Literature

In the myth of the Trojan War, Achilles' mother Thetis wanted to keep him from joining the Greek forces (and thus dying in battle as was prophesied), so she dresses him in woman's clothes and hides him among a cloister of women. In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans after Paris of Troy stole Helen from her "Achilleus" redirects here For the emperor with this name see Achilleus (emperor. This article is about the Greek sea nymph Thetis should not be confused with Themis, the embodiment of the laws of nature but see the sea-goddess Tethys. When the Greek envoy arrives to fetch him for battle, Odysseus is suspicious of Achilles' absence and concocts a scheme to reveal the deception: he offers gifts to all the women, including among them a sword and shield. grc-Latn Odysseus or la Ulysses ( Greek grc-Latn Odysseus; Latin: la Ulixes or more commonly Ulysses) oʊˈdɪsiəs Then he has an alarm sounded, and when Achilles instinctively grabs the weapons to defend himself, the ruse is revealed and he must join the Greek army and fight at Troy.

In Ludovico Ariosto's Orlando Furioso, Bradamante, being a knight, wears full-plate armor; similarly, Britomart wears full-plate armor in Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene. Orlando Furioso ("The Frenzy of Orlando" more literally "Mad Orlando" in Italian furioso is seldom capitalized is an Italian Bradamante (also spelled Bradamant) is the sister of Rinaldo, and one of the heroines of Orlando Furioso, Ludovico Ariosto 's handling For the Butterfly Genus, see Britomartis (butterfly. Britomartis is among the Minoan goddess figures that passed through the Edmund Spenser (c 1552 &ndash 13 January, 1599) was an important English Poet and Poet Laureate best known for The The Faerie Queene is an English epic poem by Edmund Spenser, published first in three books in 1590 and later in six books in 1596 Intentionally or not, this disguises them as men, and they are taken as such by other characters. In Orlando Furioso, Fiordespina falls in love with Bradamante; her brother Ricciardetto disguises himself as his sister, dressing as a woman, persuades Fiordespina that he is Bradamante, magically changed into a man to make their love possible, and in his female attire is able to conduct a love affair with her.

In Arcadia, Sir Philip Sidney had one of his heroes, Pyrocles, disguise himself as an Amazon and call himself Zelmane, in order to approach his beloved Philoclea. The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia, also known simply as The Arcadia is by far Sir Philip Sidney 's most ambitious work Sir Philip Sidney ( November 30, 1554 &ndash October 17, 1586) became one of the Elizabethan Age's most prominent figures

Lord Byron in his Don Juan, had Don Juan disguised as a woman in a harem. Don Juan (dɒn dʒuən is a long digressive satiric poem by Lord Byron, based on the legend of Don Juan, which Byron reverses portraying Juan not as

Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn disguises himself as a girl at one point in the novel, not very successfully. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 better known by the Pen name Mark Twain, was an American Humorist, satirist

In Terry Pratchett's novel Monstrous Regiment, he has an entire regiment of females (of assorted species) dressing as males to join the army, satirizing the phenomenon of crossdressing during wartime. Terence David John Pratchett, OBE (born 28 April 1948 is an English fantasy, Science fiction, and children's author. Monstrous Regiment is the 31st novel in Terry Pratchett 's Discworld series

In Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Éowyn disguises herself as man under the name Dernhelm to fight in the battle of the Pelennor Fields outside the White City, Minas Tirith. The Lord of the Rings is an epic Literature Appearances In The Lord of the Rings Éowyn a daughter of the House of Eorl and the niece of King Théoden, is introduced

Theater

Cross-dressing characters

William Shakespeare made substantial use of cross-dressing for female characters, who take on masculine clothing in order to carry out actions difficult for women. William Shakespeare ( baptised In Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice, Portia and her maid dress as men to plead in court on the merchant's behalf, and are quite successful in their ruse; in the same play, Shylock's daughter Jessica dresses as a man in order to elope with her Christian lover. The Merchant of Venice is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598 Portia is the heroine of William Shakespeare 's The Merchant of Venice. Twelfth Night, or What You Will deals extensively with cross-dressing through the female protagonist Viola. Twelfth Night Or What You Will is a Comedy by William Shakespeare, based on the Short story "Of Apolonius and Silla" by She disguises herself as Cesario, and immediately finds herself caught up in a love triangle. She loves Duke Orsino who loves Countess Olivia who loves Cesario. Luckily, all is resolved when Viola's presumed dead twin brother Sebastian comes along. We only see Viola as Viola in one scene; for the rest of the play she is dressed as Cesario. When Rosalind and Celia flee court in As You Like It, Rosalind dresses, for their protections, as a man. As You Like It is a Pastoral Comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 or early 1600 and first published However, as a way to further complicate the situation for comedic affect, Shakespeare has Rosalind's male character dress as a woman to help a male friend practise wooing the girl he is smitten with. In other words, it is a man (the actor) dressing as a woman dressing as a man dressing as a woman.

David Henry Hwang's 1988 play M. Butterfly focuses on a love affair between a French diplomat and a male Beijing opera singer who plays dan (旦), or female, roles. David Henry Hwang (黃哲倫 Pinyin: Huáng Zhìlún (born August 11, 1957) is a contemporary American Playwright who has risen to M Butterfly is a 1988 play by David Henry Hwang loosely based on the relationship between French diplomat Bernard Boursicot and Shi Pei-Pu a male This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.

In the musical Rent, Angel is an example of a modern drag queen. Rent is a Rock musical, with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson based on Giacomo Puccini 's Opera La Bohème

Although there is some dispute as to whether the character is transgendered or simply a cross-dresser, the character of Hedwig from the musical and subsequent movie Hedwig and the Angry Inch is another modern drag queen (the musical also features a male character played traditionally by a female actress, although the character's true gender is deliberately left with slight ambiguity). Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a Rock musical about a fictional Rock and roll band fronted by an East German Transgender singer

Bugs Bunny frequently cross-dresses in his cartoons for comedic effect or to confound a male opponent. Clyde Rabbit (uncleMrs Bugs Bunny (wifePapa Bunny (fatherMama Bunny (motherRugs Bunny

Dr. Frank 'n' Furter in the Rocky Horror Picture Show wore nothing but women's clothing the entire movie/play. The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a 1975 musical Comedy film that parodies Science fiction and Horror films.

Doctor N. Gin from the Crash Bandicoot series, wore a ballerina dancer outfit in Crash Tag Team Racing. Crash Bandicoot is a platform game published by Sony Computer Entertainment and developed by Naughty Dog for the PlayStation See also,,, A ballerina ( Italian for female dancer) is a Female Ballet Dancer; the male equivalent to this title Crash Tag Team Racing is a Racing game published by Sierra Entertainment and developed by Radical Entertainment for the PlayStation 2 The tutu, obtained through one of Crash's missions, was an alternative costume that made N. Gin feel "pretty" and boosted his self-esteem.

Cross-dressing actors and actresses

In Renaissance England it was illegal for women to perform in theatres,^[12] so female roles in the plays of Shakespeare and his contemporary playwrights were originally played by cross-dressing men or boys. English Renaissance theatre is English drama written between the Reformation and the closure of the theatres in 1642. (See also Stage Beauty. Stage Beauty is a 2004 British / American romantic Drama film directed by Sir Richard Eyre. ) Therefore the original productions of the above-mentioned Shakespeare plays actually involved double-cross-dressing: male actors playing female characters disguising themselves as males.

Cross-dressed female actors are referred to as playing "trouser roles," a historical example of an actress famous for trouser roles is Julie d'Aubigny, AKA "La Maupin" (1670-1707). Julie (or Julia) d'Aubigny (1670 &ndash 1707 also known as La Maupin, was a 17th century swordswoman and Opera singer

All roles in Japanese Noh dramas are traditionally played by male actors. or is a major form of classic Japanese musical Drama that has been performed since the 14th century Actors playing female roles wear feminine costumes and female-featured masks.

Japanese Kabuki theatre began in the seventeenth century with all-female troupes performing both male and female roles. is a form of traditional Japanese theatre. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate Make-up worn by some of its performers In 1629 the disrepute of kabuki performances (or of their audiences) led to the banning of women from the stage, but kabuki's great popularity inspired the formation of all-male troupes to carry on the theatrical form. In Kabuki, the portrayal of female characters by men is known as onagata.

In ancient China, nearly all the characters in Chinese Opera were performed by men, so that all the male actors, who played the role of a female were crossdressing. Chinese Opera ( Chinese: 戏曲/戲曲 Pinyin: xìqǔ is a popular form of Drama and Musical theatre in China with roots going back A famous cross-dressing opera singer is Mei Lanfang.

The Monty Python troupe have been known to cross dress for comedic purposes in their TV series and films. Monty Python (sometimes known as The Pythons) is the collective name of the six creators of Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British Television The troupe usually dress up as older, more unarousing women referred to by the troupe as "pepperpots". Although member Terry Jones was most famous for his female characters, all the members have been seen in drag in one sketch or another; members Michael Palin and Eric Idle have been said to look the most feminine, Graham Chapman specialized in screeching, annoying housewives and John Cleese, whom the troupe has said is the most hilarious in drag, appears so extremely unfeminine that it is funny. For other uses see Terry Jones (disambiguation. Terence Graham Parry Jones (born 1 February 1942) is a Welsh Michael Edward Palin, CBE (born 5 May 1943 is an English Comedian, actor writer and Television presenter best known for being one of the members Eric Idle (born 29 March 1943 is an English Comedian, Actor, Author, Singer and Composer of comedic songs Graham Arthur Chapman (8 January 1941 &ndash 4 October 1989 was an English Comedian, Actor, Writer, Physician and one of the John Marwood Cleese (ˈkliːz born 27 October, 1939) is a British Actor, Comedian, Writer, Film producer Cleese also wore female clothes while appearing as himself in a magazine advertisement for American Express. For more information about cross-dressing in movies and television, see the article Cross-dressing in film and television. Cross-dressing in motion pictures began in the early days of the silent films

Matt Lucas and David Walliams regularly cross-dress in the Little Britain television comedy show, with Lucas in particular often somewhat more feminine and convincing in his appearance and performances than cross-dressing comedians of the past. Matthew Richard Lucas (born 5 March 1974) is an English Comedian and Actor. David Walliams (born David Williams, August 20, 1971) is an English Comedian and Actor, best known for his partnership Little Britain is a character-based comedy Sketch show first appearing on BBC radio and then television The two also sometimes play a pair of unconvincing transvestites as a parody of some cross-dressers who try to act in a stereotypically feminine way while not succeeding in "passing" as women.

The British writer, presenter and actor Richard O'Brien sometimes cross-dresses and ran a "Transfandango" ball aimed at transgendered people of all kinds in aid of charity for several years in the early 2000s. Richard Timothy Smith (born March 25 1942) better known under his Stage name Richard O'Brien, is an English-born New Zealand-raised

The Takarazuka Revue is a contemporary all-female Japanese acting company, known for their elaborate productions of stage musicals. The Takarazuka Revue (宝塚歌劇団 Takarazuka Kagekidan) is a Japanese all- Female musical theater in the city of Takarazuka Japan Takarazuka actresses specialize in either male or female roles, with male role actresses receiving top billing.

In pantomime, plays which are traditionally adaptations of fairy tales and performed around Christmastide, the role of lead male was once commonly played by a principal boy - a young, attractive, female. Pantomime (informally panto) (not to be confused with a Mime artist, referring to a theatrical performer of mime is a performance genre traditionally found A fairy tale or fairy story is a fictional Story that may feature folkloric characters (such as fairies, enchantments]] often involving Christmastide (also Christmas or the Christmas season) is one of the seasons of the Liturgical year of most Christian churches In Pantomime, a principal boy role is the young male protagonist of the play traditionally played by a young Actress in boy's clothes Though this practise has fallen out of favour somewhat recently with the rise in popular male television and pop stars taking these roles. Popstars is an international Reality television program and a precursor to the Idol series Conversely the role of a pantomime dame, a middle aged woman played by a man for comic relief, is still one of the mainstays of the Pantomime. A pantomime dame is a traditional character in British Pantomime.

In Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, the male alien bounty hunter Greedo was portrayed by both a male and a female, each acting in different shots. Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope (originally released as Star Wars) is a 1977 Space opera This article is about minor characters in the Fictional Star Wars universe who are Bounty hunters Mol Arcasite

Michelle Ehlen plays a butch lesbian actress who gets cast as a man in a film in the comedic feature Butch Jamie. Michelle Ehlen is a filmmaker and actress best known for her comedic feature Butch Jamie. Butch Jamie is a Gender-bending comedy film that premiered in July 2007 at Outfest: the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival

Eddie Izzard, a British stand-up comedian and actor, states that he has cross-dressed his entire life. Edward John "Eddie" Izzard (born February 7, 1962) is a British stand-up comedian and Dramatic Actor. He often performs his act in feminine clothing, and has discussed his cross dressing as part of his act. He calls himself an 'executive transvestite'.

Opera

An entire cross-dressing genre of operatic roles, called "pants roles", "trouser roles", or "travesty roles". A breeches role (also pants role or trouser role) is a role in which an actress appears in male clothing ( Breeches being tight-fitting knee-length pants These are male roles performed by women, typically mezzo-sopranos but occasionally by sopranos. Some female opera singers specialize in these types of roles.

A major artistic reason for "pants roles" was that some storylines required young boy characters, but the actual performance required an adult's vocal strength and stage experience in addition to a high, boyish voice. Women were thus better suited to these boy roles than actual boys. Some examples of these boyish pants roles are Cherubino in "The Marriage of Figaro" and Hansel in "Hansel and Gretel". Other pants roles were created due to the need for an adult male character to seem other-worldly (Orpheus in "Orfeo ed Euridice") or unmanly (Prince Idamante in "Idomeneo," respectively). In some cases, the casting of a woman in a "pants role" may have been just an excuse to have an attractive actress appear in tight-fitting trousers. During the Grand Opera era, women typically worn voluminous dresses onstage. Some male operatic roles originally written to be sung in the voice range of castrati (men castrated in boyhood, whose voices never descended into the normal male register) are now usually cast with female singers in male costume. A castrato is a man with a singing voice equivalent to that of a Soprano, Mezzo-soprano, or Contralto voice produced either by Castration

Beethovens' only opera, Fidelio, is unusual in that it features a female character who cross-dresses as part of the plot. Fidelio (Op 72 is an Opera in two acts by Ludwig van Beethoven. Fidelio involves a woman who disguises herself as a young man as part of a plan to rescue her husband from prison.

In the early 20th century, German composer Richard Strauss included a major trouser role in two operas: the Composer in "Ariadne auf Naxos" and Octavian in "Der Rosenkavalier. "

Music

Pete Burns, the lead singer in the New Wave band Dead or Alive, crossdressed in the bands' music videos, performances, and in his appearances on TV. Peter "Pete" Burns (b August 5 1959, Port Sunlight, Wirral, England and now living in Ramsey, Cambridgeshire New Wave is a Rock music genre that existed during the late 1970s and the 1980s

The late Harris Glenn Milstead, aka Divine, crossdressed in the movies he's in due to the part he plays, which is usually a woman. Harris Glenn Milstead ( October 19, 1945 – March 7, 1988) was an actor and singer known by his drag persona Divine. He also crossdressed in his music videos.

Marilyn Manson often used crossdressing in their performances, music videos and public appearances. Marilyn Manson is an American Alternative metal band based in Los Angeles California.

Kurt Cobain, the lead singer of the American grunge band, Nirvana often cross-dressed at home and on stage. Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20 1967 – c April 5 1994 was an American musician who served as lead singer, Guitarist, and songwriter for the Seattle Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen Washington.

Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day wrote the song King for a Day about cross-dressing. Billie Joe Armstrong (born February 17 1972 in Oakland, California) is the lead vocalist, main Lyricist, Pianist and Green Day is an American rock trio

Mana Japanese musician and fashion designer. Mana is a Japanese musician and fashion designer famed for his role as a leader and guitarist of the influential Visual kei band Malice Mizer.

Brian Viglione, member of the punk cabaret group The Dresden Dolls, has crossdressed since he was 12 years old. Brian Viglione (born May 16, 1979 in Greenville New Hampshire) is the drummer for The Dresden Dolls and New York City's swing-punk orchestra The Dresden Dolls are an American musical duo from Boston Massachusetts.

The Who's song "I'm a Boy" is about a young boy dressed as a girl. The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964. The primary lineup consisted of guitarist Pete Townshend " I'm a Boy " is a 1966 rock song written by Pete Townshend for his band The Who.

The Bitch and Animal song "Drag King Bar" is about cross-dressing. Bitch and Animal, a duo consisting of musicians Bitch and Animal Prufrock, were a Queercore band that performed from 1995 to 2004

Queen cross-dressed in their video for the song, "I Want to Break Free". Queen were an English rock band formed in 1970 in London by guitarist " I Want to Break Free " ( is a Song performed by Queen, which was written exclusively by bassist John Deacon.

Cross-dressers from other fields

The British writer and doctor Vernon Coleman cross-dresses and has written several articles defending men who cross-dress, stressing they are often heterosexual and usually do not want to change sex. Vernon Coleman (born 1946 is a former General practitioner, and the author of over 90 books including non-fiction works about human health politics Cricket

See also

• Autogynephilia
• Breeches role
• Crossdressing during wartime
• Cross-dressing in film and television
• En femme
• Female masking
• Feminization
• List of transgender-related topics
• Passing (gender)
• Transvestism
• Tri-Ess

References

Further reading

• "Dress Blues", Erin O'Brien (writer), Cleveland Free Times, August 2, 2006
• "A teenager crossdresser's diary and thoughts", 2007
• Helen Boyd, My Husband Betty, Thunder's Mouth Press, 2003
• Rudolf M. Erin O'Brien (born 1965 is a Fiction and Nonfiction writer in the Cleveland area The Free Times was an Alternative weekly Newspaper in Cleveland, Ohio. Events 338 BC - A Macedonian army led by Philip II defeated the combined forces of Athens and Thebes in the Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Helen Boyd (1969 is the Pen name of Gail Kramer the author of two noteworthy books about her relationship with Betty Crow, her Transgender husband My Husband Betty ( 2004, Thunder's Mouth Press, ISBN 1-56025-515-3 is a Non-fiction book Dekker, Lotte C. Van De Pol, Lotte C. Van De Pol, The Tradition of Female Transvestism in Early Modern Europe, 1989, ISBN 0-312-17334-2.
• Peggy J. Rudd, Crossdressing With Dignity : The Case For Transcending Gender Lines, PM Publishers, Inc. , 1999. ISBN 0-9626762-6-8.
• Charles Anders, The Lazy Crossdresser, Greenery Press, 2002. Greenery Press is a Publishing house based in Emeryville California specializing in books on BDSM, polyamory and sexuality with over 50 titles in ISBN 1-890159-37-9.
• Lacey Leigh, Out & About: The Emancipated Crossdresser, Double Star Press, 2002. ISBN 0-9716680-0-0.

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