Follow-up to my last post...

[elisi]

It occurs to me that many might not be familiar with the fact that cross-dressing is a time honoured British tradition, so I'll link you to this excellent article by AA Gill:

Invite your suburban neighbours to something as quaintly old-fashioned as a tarts-and-vicars party and, sure as rain on a bank holiday, the women will all come as Patrick

Comments

[kitmarlowescot2]

Just read the article, I am not surprised that Americans had that kind of reaction to cross dressing. Because really here you don't see it as a comedy, but as gays who dress up. And in the part of the South he was in, people have been killed for being gay and dressing up, even recently. Acourse being black, being Catholic, being Jewish, being gay, or even being from the North (The true yankees) could made for some serious trouble in the deeper and more rural south.

[kitmarlowescot2]

Though it alot of it has died down, their are still people in the KKK, and white supremacists have had a surge in membership since Obama was elected.

[elisi]

Oh I know. It's very disturbing.

(Your icon, on the other hand, is making me laugh!)

[kitmarlowescot2]

Thanks, this a blogger called myth_moondance in the rainbowgraphics community made it. If you look her/him up she has alot of neat icons. It was in one of her Halloween posts. It just cracked me up as well.

[deird1]

I'd love to know what the students in the article would think of Dame Edna.

We even have a street named after her!

[elisi]

*laughs*

Now I'm imagining her walking into the classroom, calling them all sorts of endearments... *drifts off into happy daydream*

[zanthinegirl]

Thanks for that link!

I have to say as an american I've always found the cross-dressing thing kind of mystifying. I grew up watching PBS, and remember wondering with friends why so many of female characters on say, Monty Python or whatever were played by men. "It must be a british thing" was the answer we came up with!

Drag just isn't mainstream humor here, and I think most people find it puzzling.

Also, who is "Gazza"? He was mentioned in the article, and I've heard the name (nickname?) elsewhere. I'm just curious!

[elisi]

"It must be a british thing" was the answer we came up with!
Yes, rather! *g*

Drag just isn't mainstream humor here, and I think most people find it puzzling.
Sometimes I love the English so much I could burst!

Also, who is "Gazza"? He was mentioned in the article, and I've heard the name (nickname?) elsewhere. I'm just curious!
Paul Gascoigne">, ex football player, mostly known for his ball and drinking skills!

[chloris]

I knew that crossdressing was popular in British tv, but I didn't realize that it was an everyday sort of thing! Of course, I've only heard of panto in the last year, so it's not really on my radar. The only time most Americans would find crossdressing to be rather normal would be Halloween. And that would be more in the liberal parts of the US. While I don't find it upsetting or anything, I don't really get the appeal myself.

[elisi]

I knew that crossdressing was popular in British tv, but I didn't realize that it was an everyday sort of thing!
Don't know about 'everyday', although the assistant headmaster at the girls' school happily dresses up for the panto every year! And there's a [maths] teacher at Darcy's school who uses any opportunity available to don shiny spotty tights. :)

The only time most Americans would find crossdressing to be rather normal would be Halloween. And that would be more in the liberal parts of the US.
Heh. Indeed.

While I don't find it upsetting or anything, I don't really get the appeal myself.
Ah, but there's nothing like a dame...

[ibmiller]

I'm afraid my only exposure to Gill was through his idiotic "review" of Emma. Which rather prejudices me to his character.

[elisi]

Heee! He is often grumpy, but generally insightful. He just has likes and dislikes as the rest of us. :)