Lesbian Drag Kings and the Feminine Embodiment of the Masculine

Part of an ongoing ethnography of an imperial sovereign court I am undertaking, this chapter explores the world of the lesbian drag king and the gendered performance she undertakes in this realm. Taking a relational, situational approach to understanding gender, the lesbian drag queen of the court i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of homosexuality 2003-04, Vol.43 (3-4), p.75-98
Main Author: Schacht, Steven P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
doing gender
embodiment
femininity
gay drag kings
gay drag queens
gender as performance
imperial sovereign court
Lesbian drag king
lesbian drag queen
masculinity
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Summary:Part of an ongoing ethnography of an imperial sovereign court I am undertaking, this chapter explores the world of the lesbian drag king and the gendered performance she undertakes in this realm. Taking a relational, situational approach to understanding gender, the lesbian drag queen of the court is also examined in terms of how "her" image and actions give gendered meaning and confer import to the lesbian drag king. Note is also made of lesbian court members' often contradictory gendered relationships with the gay men in this setting: gay drag kings and gay drag kings. Although embodying a masculine persona in image and action has enabled some lesbian drag kings to successfully challenge the often sexist actions and reign of the gay men of the court, it has also resulted in some lesbian drag queens being subordinated in the process. Thus, as much as lesbian drag kings subvert existing gender hierarchies they also sometimes recreate them in the pursuit of situational power.
ISSN:0091-8369
1540-3602
DOI:10.1300/J082v43n03_06