Gender construction and the female impersonator: The process of transforming “he” to “she”

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Abstract
Traditional definitions of gender focused on static, discreet, categorical distinctions that were assumed to be products of sex. These formulations, however, have inhibited the understanding of the relationship between gender and social structure. This paper examines the social construction of gender by focusing on how professional female impersonators transform themselves from man to woman. Relying on interviews with 10 professional female impersonators, the dynamic process of creating and publicly presenting a “deviant” gender performance is explored. Successful constructions of feminine genders necessitate that individuals transform themselves both physically and socially. Physical transformations are cosmetic modifications of one's face and body coupled with sex‐typed attire and accessories that create visual images suggesting membership in a female sex class. Social transformations include adopting the mannerisms, actions, and interactional roles accorded feminine members of society. Because female impersonators are very successful in constructing gendered performances that do not accord with their biological sex, it is suggested that gender itself be most appropriately viewed as a dynamic, fluid and contextually guided, individually managed social construct.