Drag Queens, cross dressers. What's the difference?

Question

This question is entirely in earnest. I've always wondered if there was a difference between cross-dressing and drag-queen (ism?). Personally, I love drag queen and watch them perform often. I understand the difference between transsexualism and cross-dressing. One of my best friends is a transsexual, and I fully support her! Plus, I am an LGBT person :) 

So, what is the difference between drag and cross-dress (if there is one)?

? · Accepted Answer

Drag is basically an exaggerated, hypermasculine or hyperfeminine version of cross-dressing. People who cross-dress may or not be performers; drag queens and kings are typically performers and putting on an act for entertainment purposes.

graminski · Answer

Queens Cross

Anonymous · Answer

properly, you're spectacular, yet your buddy isn't precisely incorrect. A Drag Queen is a guy who clothing as a parody of a woman as component of a level overall performance; a crossdresser is a guy who clothing as a woman for in spite of reason (there are women people who crossdress too, for sure). So a Drag Queen is a crossdresser, yet no longer all crossdressers are Drag Queens.

? · Answer

Some crossdressers (previously known as transvestites) identify as, and are completely comfortable with, their physical gender at birth, but will occasionally dress and take on the mannerisms of the opposite gender

Drag Performers include people like Ru Paul, or Elvis Herselvis (a well known lesbian Elvis impersonator). Drag performers are precisely that - performers. They dress and act like the "opposite" sex for the entertainment of an audience

Metalmaniac · Answer

drag queens are gay, and dress liken that to put on a show. Most cross-dressers are straight, and only dress in opposite sex clothing at home, or will wear things like bras and panties under their normal clothes. (the director Ed Wood was a cross-dresser, or transvestite. He wore women's clothing but was completely straight)

Anonymous · Answer

Cross dressing is more to with sexual fetish than drag queen.
believe it or not lots of cross dressers are closeted or actual straight men

aol_96080 · Answer

I think drag queens is a contest and cross dressers just do it cuz they like it

Poochheartbounce · Answer

drag queens you could say "dresses up to entertain people"
^ such a bad way to put it... :/ couldn't really say anything without sounding offensive 

soo Cross dressing is just people wearing clothes designed for opposite sex... like clothes have gender LOL

umm at least i sort of tried?

Hulio von Bulio · Answer

drag queens are for entertainment  purposes

while crossdressers are for personal reasons

Anonymous · Answer

I was interested in the answer to this question as well

Drag Queens, cross dressers. What's the difference?

11 Answers