The fascinating legacy of male impersonators, the gender rebels that history forgot

. But while the scene may still be in its infancy, there have always been women who have pushed the boundaries of gender.

Given the strict social mores of the era, it’s no mean feat that Hindle and Wesner managed to establish male impersonation as an art form, not least win the admiration of both men and women in their audiences. In fact, as it’s noted in , newspaper reviewers “gave no indication that any portion of their acts or their appearance as any type of character was seen as transgressing standards of decency,” and even treated them in the same way as the male performers that they performed with.

Bentley didn’t just stoke controversy with her risqué songs; she challenged social norms with her gender expression, too. The performer cut a mighty figure in male attire, donning a top hat, bow-tie and her trademark white tuxedo when she took to the stage, and according to writer Wilbur Young, Bentey could be seen “marching down Seventh Avenue attired in men’s clothes any day of the week”.

It is upon the legacy of male impersonation that drag kings rose to prominence in the 90s, and have been growing their community ever since. This new generation of performance artists have been able to fully critique the trappings of masculinity, expanding the genre with a spectrum of gender expressions previously unseen in drag king culture.

United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Former Tory rebel Dominic Grieve says voters are 'deeply unhappy' with Boris Johnson over BrexitAs an independent candidate, the former Tory hopes pro-EU voters can help him deprive his old party of a plum seat
Source: The Independent - 🏆 80. / 59 Read more »

Supreme Ambition review: Trump, Kavanaugh and the right's big coupRuth Marcus’s well-sourced account reveals a conservative push to dismantle FDR’s legacy through the supreme court
Source: The Guardian - 🏆 84. / 53 Read more »

Billy Lee Williams: Star Wars actor who played Lando Calrissian reveals he is gender fluidThe 82-year-old American, who is best known for playing Lando Calrissian, said he sees himself as masculine and feminine.
Source: SkyNews - 🏆 35. / 67 Read more »

Star Wars actor Billy Dee Williams comes out as gender fluid‘I never tried to be anything except myself’ 🤣🤣🤣. So hes bisexual 🤷🏻‍♂️
Source: The Independent - 🏆 80. / 59 Read more »

Female protesters in red masks march in against gender violenceThe women are seen wearing red masks covering their entire face as they come together to stand against social and economic inequality in the Chilean capital of Santiago.
Source: Daily Mail Online - 🏆 135. / 51 Read more »

Forget England, this election could hang on voter calculations in Scotland, Wales and IrelandScottish unionists of all affiliations may help the Tories, while a resurgence of domestic issue in Wales could be a boost for Labour
Source: The Guardian - 🏆 84. / 53 Read more »