The drag of the 70s and 80s (hinge&bracket, Les Dawson, Two Ronnies, Kenny Everett, Dame Edna etc) were Acts, in that they were characters played by actors. Yes the comedy was of it’s time and much of it doesn’t stand up to modern taste, but there was no one seriously thought the characters were people with lifestyles to inspire others. There’s the difference. As an example, Danny La Rue was a celebrity ribbon cutter at a local fair when I was a kid. I had my photo taken with him - he’s wearing a man’s suit and was he wasn’t dressed up as a “female impersonator”. He was the celebrity, not his act.