Female impersonation is a type of theatrical performance where a man dresses in women's clothing for the sole purpose of entertaining an audience. While the term female impersonator is sometimes used interchangeably with drag queen, they are not the same. Drag as an art form is associated with queer identity whereas female impersonation may come from a wide a range of gender identity paradigms, including heteronormativity. Additionally, many drag artists view drag as a lived form of self-expression or creativity, and perceive drag as something that is not limited to the stage or to performance. In contrast, female impersonation is specifically limited to performance and may or may not involve an LGBTQ point of view.
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George W Monroe, stage comedian (SAYRE 6906).jpg
George W. Monroe, stage comedian
Subjects: comedians
Harvard Theatre Collection - Samuel S Sanford TCS 1.935.jpg
Cabinet card image of American minstrel performer Samuel S. Sanford (1821-1905), in character wearin...
Julian Eltinge (the fascinating widow).jpg