Friday 2 April 2010

Drag Goddess: A woman dressing as a man, dressing as a woman

Playing with notion of gender identity is Holestar, a woman dressing up as a man, dressing as a fabulous, flamboyant woman. "Celebrating exaggerated symbols of femininity, reclaiming elaborate feminine codes from drag queens to the female body and subverting expectations", it is interesting that Holestar does this through the acquisition of make up and hair, historically used to provide self-confidence and sociability when wearing customary cosmetics.

Gendered categories of "masculinity" and "femininity" are socially constructed concepts and societal ideals about an appropriate masculine or feminine behavior vary from culture to culture, depending upon various socio-historical circumstances (eg. Butler 1990). In other words, what is considered "socially appropriate" behavior for a female or male (today) is not the same as a century ago.  Holestar acknowledges this through her performances and subverts  expectations of what is permissable for a male to female performer, and those that are permissable for a 'flamboyant woman'. 



  1. Butler, J. (1990). Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. New York: Routledge.

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