Monday, March 16, 2015

Early Drag Queens

It's a very sad fact that even today non-heterosexual people have to live in fear, behind closed doors, all around the world. That to not be what so many considers "normal" is bad and wrong... I guess we can only pray to the LGBTQ-God that one day everyone will be accepted for who and what they are... But through the ages, brave people who aren't afraid to be who they are have always existed, and today I want to show you a few photos of some of the brave transvestites and drag queens of the past - from times when these men took even bigger risks than today showing their true identities. Cheers to them!



1800s


1800s


Pictured above is Brigham Morris Young, who in the 1800s made a career in drag, performing as Madam Pattrini.


1800s


Frederick Park and Ernest Boulton were the first men who openly dared to walk the streets in women's clothing. This was very shocking in Victorian London, and made the police launch investigations that were normally reserved for extreme criminals.


1800s


As it took a long time before it was respectable for women to have a career as an actress, men in women's clothes have been playing the female roles for centuries. So on stage, it was perfectly acceptable for men to perform in drag.


Ca 1915


Around the turn of the century drag performances became a category of it's own. Above we see vaudeville performer Julian Eltinge.


1920s


During the 1920 drag balls became popular. These were huge LBGT parties, where most men dressed as women.


Noted drag queen Harry S. Franklyn. 1920s.


Vaudevillian sensation Vander Clyde aka Barbette. 1920s.


Female impersonator Billy Richards. 1937.


Jerry Vaughn, 1947.











4 comments:

  1. Amazing, for some of them, one would never have even guessed. I do find it sad too, that even now, they are still being discriminated against and find being accepted hard. It's just ridiculous, I hope it continues to get better because everyone should be allowed to live in peace to be themselves Xxx

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  2. Hello dear! Not sure what you say in this comment, but a translation by Google says you wonder ho wold these pics are. So if that's your question, the photos above are from the 1800s and early 1900s, up to somewhere around the 1930s-40s. I love the fact that drag has been around for such a long time! :)

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  3. Amazing photos. Precious documents.

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