“Half Drag”: The Two Faces of Gender Identity
In photographer Leland Bobbe’s most recent project “Half Drag,” the New York native captures the two identities of the big city’s drag queens. Bobbe captures the images in-camera with the queens sporting their alter egos in full hair (and even fuller makeup) on the left side while sporting an au naturel look all on the right.
“Through the power of hair and makeup these men are able to completely transform themselves and find their female side while simultaneously showing their male side,” Bobbe tells the Huffington Post.
When explaining how the project started, Bobbe backtracks to last fall’s Workbook party in New York where he was introduced to Sabel. The party had a carnival theme featuring burlesque performers and drag queens. Bobbe had recently completed a shoot featuring burlesque performer Doctor Flux and decided to initiate a project using real New York drag queens. He reached out to Sabel, who was on board, and this was the result. He then reached out to others through Facebook and since, the project has gone viral, with no signs of Bobbe slowing down in this awe-inspiring, boundary-breaking project.
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LOVE THIS!!
The creative beauty of humans never ceases to amaze me!
<3
“find their female side”
Um, no. They’re certainly lovely, but the idea that hair and makeup IS femininity is appalling to me. WOMEN define femininity; hair and makeup is just hair and makeup.
And don’t try to throw me any nonsense about me having a problem with the transgendered: these are drag-queens, not trans-sexuals. They are only wearing a costume.
Does it make any sense to say that if I wear a suit and smoke a cigar that I’m “finding my male side”? (Hint: no. Even if I draw on a John Waters mustache.)
I completely agree that hair and makeup cannot and should not define their femininity or their search for femininity. Hair and makeup are not the basis of the feminine and should not be considered so.
However, I think the idea is that the hair and makeup is what these drag queens have utilized as their medium of expression. They are not trans-sexuals, but males who are exploring and living out their feminine side through the artistic medium of hair/makeup because that is the most immediate, physical way to do so. I do agree with you in the utmost way, but I respect this photographer for his vision in allowing these people to show both sides of the lives they are living.
I agree with you that hair and makeup should not define the difference between males and females, but it is important to draw a distinction between the terms “male/female” and “masculine/feminine” and to note that properties like hair, makeup, jewelry, etc. are what have been accepted by society as properties used to denote masculinity or femininity.
As for your comment about the suit and mustache: apparently, for you, this does not hold true, but for many (including myself) that is exactly the case. When I wear male clothing, even though I am female, I am “finding my male side” by adopting the masculine persona that comes out when I am in drag. Speak for yourself, please.
I think this equally demonstrates how drastically makeup and hair can act as a mask to completely change how a person appears and is perceived.
And, I would argue that it can potentially have a huge impact on people’s personal perception of femininity. It’s wearing blinders to say it doesn’t do so to a huge percentage of women (and men). The beauty industry wouldn’t be enormous, otherwise.
I agree. How can one experience the feminine or understand what it is like to be a woman, if others aren’t perceiving them to be such. A LARGE part of being a woman, is the way others treat women.
1, 2, 3 look better as guys. 5, 7, 8 and the last one look better in drag. ^-^
I dunno…. I would definitely make out with #2′s drag side.
Love, love, love this! I wish I had a friend who could teach me how to transform myself so profoundly as this.
I lovvveeee this! What beautiful people…
This is so awesomee
Awesome. I love the individuality and passion each person brought to both sides. Good for them. This is wonderful. Thanks for sharing
The second man is one of the most stunning women I have ever seen