Famous crossdressers

[Taylor186]

In my book Lou Reed is super famous. Maybe you have to be of a certain age to think this. But, writing and singing a song about crossdressers does not make you one.

walk on the wild side live

[Katey888]

For the record, I wasn't thinking that Lou Reed wasn't famous...

Maybe just go back a few posts...

[Eryn]

Pancho Barnes, born Florence Lowe. She was a daughter of a wealthy family, married off to a preacher, who left him and signed onto a banana boat as a crewman. She traveled to Mexico and then returned overland, largely on horseback, all while crossdressed as a man. Later, she became a famous aviatrix, the founder of the Hollywood Stunt Pilot's Association, and the friend of many of the prominent figures of the Golden Age of Aviation at her Happy Bottom Riding Club near Edwards Air Force Base.

She learned to fly in the '20s. At that time, the licensing organization was very hesitant to issue licenses to women. She submitted the following photo with her application:

200px-02_PanchoBarnes.jpg

The license was issued, signed by Orville Wright!

[sometimes_miss]

Rupaul, I'm not sure where he fits in, but he really does like dressing up, even if he did make a career out of it. Devine also, I believe though doing it professionally initially, also just did it for himself. There was a guy who used to rollerskate all over manhattan in a brides dress though I don't know his name, all I can remember is something like rollerina but I don't think that's it. J Edgar Hoover, well we will never really know. So many of us are closeted that he may have been, and just very good at hiding it. He was a very smart guy. Do we get to include 'Bruce' Jenner and Andrea/j Petkovic, (pre admitting to TS?). After all, they didn't know what they were for years. I think there was also a French King that dressed up and had pictures of himself painted as a woman maybe? that's all I can think of off the top of my head.

[rockerreds]

If I remember right it was Marvin Gaye's father who was a crossdresser, not Marvin himself. Though sometimes it was a hard call with those crazy 80s fashions.

Richard Simmons crossdesses a lot, but I'm pretty sure hetero he is not.

In the David Ritz book Marvin said he crossdressed sometimes.

[Krisi]

Dressing as a female for TV shows or movies does not make one a crossdresser. Neither does dressing as a woman for Halloween or dressing as part of an act. The term "crossdresser encompasses a wide variety of dressing from wearing panties to living full time as a woman.

Most famous people would keep their crossdressing secret. I can't think of one who is open about it.

[AngelaYVR]

Lou Reed was cagey when asked about cross dressing (he replied "sometimes" when asked if he was a 'transvestite or homosexual'.) I tend to think he did purely because of his fascination with the subject (and also illicit substances). Also, he was famous at the time and has several enduring songs, that means he qualifies.

[Persephone]

Jaden Smith, Will and Jada Smith's son, wore a dress to a prom. He has also worn dresses and skirts when out-and-about. Does "man in a dress." Not sure if he is crossdressing or just regards the world as a big cosplay site.

Hugs,
Persephone.

[AZashleemarie]

Not sure if anyone mentioned Oscar De La Hoya yet

[Taylor186]

In the David Ritz book Marvin said he crossdressed sometimes.

OK, we will never know the real answer but there are plenty on posts on the Marvin Gay Fourm that say David Ritz and some other author are wrong when they suggested that Marvin crossdressed. No question about his dad though.

While I was googling for that I found a link with a few names not yet mentioned. http://www.newser.com/story/175757/1...-dressers.html

And, if we are going on hearsay then I will add that some time ago I read that Jerry Hall said that Mick loved to crossdress.

[kkaye]

You must agree. Famous people have an avenue to express themselves as a matter of acting or comedy. My favorite was Flip Wilson and Melton Berle. They did not hide or deny their love of crossdressing.

[Sarah-RT]

Oh I remembered one, the UK..porn star..or model..or both?! Jordan, had a boyfriend who was in the UFC was a public crossdresser, she released a biography and him, her brother and father all went in drag to promote it, I think his name was Alex, I'll do a Google search

Ah yes, it was Katie ( Jordan ) price's ex husband Alex Reid who occasionally went by "roxanne", but seemingly from the Wikipedia he was into some less than safe for work practices as well.

[Sarah Doepner]

Obviously it's quite a struggle to come up with much of a list of well known crossdressers, let alone a list of well known and respected crossdressers. It does suggest we have a way to go before there are role models for both the public and crossdressers.

[justmetoo]

I think Greta Garbo might count - although she was an entertainer she did sometimes dress in men's suits in real life. But I don't think she tried to pass as male. I guess it depends on whether you define crossdressing as simply wearing the clothes of another gender or restrict the definition to someone who tries to emulate another gender by use of clothing, makeup, wigs or hairstyles, possibly names, mannerisms, etc. And even if they do more than just the clothing, does it count as crossdressing if they do it if they do it to live the kind of life they want? For example, the many cases throughout history where women passed themselves off as men in order to fight as soldiers in various wars, to accompany explorations, work as stagecoach drivers, etc. Probably some of those were TG, maybe some were CD, and maybe some were cisgendered GGs who did what they had to to live as they wanted in a man's world.

[Paula_Femme]

Richard O'Brien, probably most famous for creating "Rocky Horror..." and playing "Riff Raff," these days lives a somewhat gender-fluid life.

"It's my belief that we are on a continuum between male and female. There are people who are hardwired male and there are people who are hardwired female, but most of us are on that continuum and I believe myself probably to be about 70% male, 30% female."

You can read more of his story here.

[Leslie Langford]

To expand on Davinnia's post (above)...

1940's and '50's actor Jeff Chandler - and husband of famed movie star and swimming sensation Esther Williams - was also allegedly a crossdresser. Here's what the "classicmovieguys" blog had to say about that:

"JEFF CHANDLER (Esther’s costar in 1958′s “Raw Wind in Eden” and later her lover, in what was supposed to be an off-camera romantic rendezvous): This is probably the most memorable moment captured in Esther’s book. “I froze at the bedroom door and started screaming. I couldn’t stop myself…I just stood there in the center of the doorway and screamed.” What was all the fuss about? Well, Esther had just stumbled not only into Chandler’s boudoir but also into the realization that her lover was a crossdresser. “He was standing in the middle of the bedroom in a red wig, a flowered chiffon dress, expensive high-heeled shoes and lots of makeup.” (Since Chandler stood 6-feet-4 inches, it must have been quite a sight.) “‘Take that off! Take that off now!’ I yelled.” (Chandler’s death from in a botched back operation in June of 1961, sent Esther grieving about “for that good lovable man who almost had been my husband.”)"


Also, a question for all you Brits out there - what's the concensus on Benny Hill - merely a "clown prince", or perhaps a secret crossdresser as well? Sure had a penchant for doing skits in drag, though...

Mick Jagger also seemed to have an affinity for crossdressing, and even had a minor role in a movie some years ago where he appeared in drag. Cillian Murphy of "Breakfast on Pluto" and other films? Sure made a fine-looking girl - almost too fine - in that one. Hmmm...

And let's not forget James Franco who did drag as a presenter at an Academy Awards show a few years ago, as well as appearing on the cover of a TG-themed magazine in the recent past.

I've often wondered about Dustin Hoffman as well. A few years back during an interview, he commented on the fact that his role as "Tootsie" allowed him to get in touch with his feminine side in a way that he wasn't expecting and that it also gave him a greater awareness of what women had to deal with in today's world. Rumor has it that it took him a long time to get rid of "Tootsies' " wardrobe, which had defaulted to him after the movie was done shooting.

[Katey888]

Benny Hill..? Clown prince definitely... Gay - possibly... but no more a crossdresser than any actor that has worn a dress for the pursuit of a role or a laugh, just as any actor or actress sharing a homosexual scene in a movie reveals nothing of their real sexuality. I can find only one crossdressing fashion designer, but again it's more accepted by society as being a part of 'creative talent'... Or actually muggles really just think it's still all just weird and eccentric...

Eccentric is probably the nicest thoughts anyone could have...

Sarah's summed it up quite well so far...

It does suggest we have a way to go before there are role models for both the public and crossdressers.

Quite so - where are the crossdressing:
* CEOs
* Industrialists
* Civic leaders and politicians
* Civil servants
* Senior police staff
* Surgeons and doctors...

Perhaps the only ones who are prepared to go public with this are those with little or nothing to lose from the subsequent stigma...? Society does have a long way to go yet...

Katey x

[Teresa]

Katey,
Showing my age here but Dick Emery appeared to like the dressing up as did Stanley Baxter ! Evens bet that they enjoyed some off stage Cding !
Also I recall Charles Hawtrey ( Carry On Films actor ) lived with his mother and was a CDer .

[Mark/Rebecca]

I know Cary Grant was mentioned previously for a movie role, but his ex girlfriend revealed in her autobio on their relationship that he wore ladies panties exclusively.

[Alexis08]

James Franco - He has dressed as a woman several times and has appeared in drag queens magazine.

Cristiano Ronaldo - he loved borrowing his ex GF's clothes in private according to her who showed a few pics of him wearing her minishrit and high heels. I don't think i've seen him happier.

[Elli87]

John Wayne, He did it in private he did it for recreation and relaxation. He recommended it for everybody. Or so I heard, those enterwebs can trick ya sometimes

[CONSUELO]

What I find interesting is that despite three pages of replies to the question, not many certain examples are coming up. Perhaps this tells us more about cross dressers in general that they are mostly very private persons who keep cross dressing to themselves and do not share it publicly.

Several decades ago we could have asked the same question about well-known persons who were gay and found that many kept it very hidden. Would we have known about Tim Cook,CEO of Apple being gay twenty or more years ago? Now it is acceptable to come out as gay but not quite so acceptable to come out as a cross dresser.

One post made me smile. It was the statement that Cary Grant always wore female underwear. Many years ago we were on the same plane from London to LAX and stood just a few feet apart in the queue for immigration. It tickles me to think that perhaps there were at least two males on that plane dressed in knickers.

[Persephone]

Cary Grant starred in a 1949 movie, "I Was A Male War Bride," in which he dressed as a woman. Rumor has it that they had to make him camp it up as he was too good at it when the scenes were first shot.

The entire movie appears to be available on YouTube as well as from other sources.

Hugs,
Persephone.

[Rhaenerys]

Hi (first post...)

This probably sounds silly, but believe it or not, the Money Supermarket ads contributed towards me coming out to my girlfriend about my proclivities. The advert showed up one night and she joked about me wearing those shorts and heels... Well, suffice to say her reaction was favourable enough that I eventually told her all about my interests a few weeks later (after a couple bottles of wine each...)

That said, I wasn't impressed with the advert because it leans too heavily on the CDing-as-a-joke trope... Conflicted, but it definitely helped me personally!

[CONSUELO]

Just found another person who is getting some attention in the UK press. Her name is Kellie Maloney and in her past life she was a well-known boxing impresario. She is attracting attention at the moment with a lot of glamour shots that are being reproduced in the UK press.
Perhaps some of the girls in the UK could fill in the background details