drag king
Female playing male
A drag king is a performer, typically a woman, who dresses in masculine clothing and adopts exaggerated male characteristics for entertainment purposes.
Drag kings often perform in clubs, at pride events, and in theatrical settings, lip-syncing or singing to songs while embodying hypermasculine personas.
The term parallels drag queen, which refers to male performers adopting feminine presentation.
The drag king took the stage in a sharp suit and penciled-on mustache.
Confident, boastful manner
- machismoExcessive masculine pride
- butchMasculine in manner
- androgynyCombined sex characteristics
- stubbleShort regrown facial hair
mustache · beard · sideburns · chest hair · binding · packing · baritone · brawn
Clothing for portrayal
- makeupProducts for beautifying faces
- contouringShaping with highlights, shadows
- bindingLegally or morally required
- packingPutting items in containers
prosthetics · wig · suit · suspenders · bow tie · alter ego · persona · disguise
Outside the two-category system
- nonbinaryOutside male-female categories
- butchMasculine in manner
- lesbianWoman desiring women
- transmasculineMoving toward male identity
queer · LGBTQ · gender expression · gender play · subversion · visibility · pride · community
Silent vocal mimicry
- impersonationPretending to be another
- showmanshipSkill at impressive presentation
- personaAssumed public identity
- actDeed or performance
routine · stage presence · number · tribute · parody · comedy · satire · audience
Exaggerated mockery or risqué variety
- revueMusical variety entertainment
- variety showProgram mixing different performances
- nightclubEvening entertainment venue
- speakeasyIllicit liquor establishment
vaudeville · emcee · spotlight · applause · choreography · jazz · torch song · crooner
swagger
Confident, boastful manner
stubble · mustache · beard · sideburns · chest hair · binding · packing · baritone · brawn · bravado
costume
Clothing for portrayal
- makeupProducts for beautifying faces
- contouringShaping with highlights, shadows
- bindingLegally or morally required
packing · prosthetics · wig · suit · suspenders · bow tie · alter ego · persona · disguise · illusion
genderqueer
Outside the two-category system
transmasculine · queer · LGBTQ · gender expression · gender play · subversion · visibility · pride · community · chosen family
lip-sync
Silent vocal mimicry
- impersonationPretending to be another
- showmanshipSkill at impressive presentation
- personaAssumed public identity
act · routine · stage presence · number · tribute · parody · comedy · satire · audience · debut
burlesque
Exaggerated mockery or risqué variety
- revueMusical variety entertainment
- variety showProgram mixing different performances
- nightclubEvening entertainment venue
speakeasy · vaudeville · emcee · spotlight · applause · choreography · jazz · torch song · crooner · showgirl
- nightlifebars, clubbing, clubs, nightclubs, bar crawl
- performersactor, dancer, actress, singer, musician
- LGBTQgay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer
- LGBTQ+gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer
- gender expressionandrogynous, androgyny, butch, femme, feminine
- Queer Culturegay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, ballroom scene
king, drag, dragging, dragged, kingly, kingship, drag queen, kingmaker, kingless