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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Tom Daley steps into the world of drag

118 replies

HannahinHampshire · 05/10/2026 20:27

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/962ef028c3a0222b

How depressing. I thought we were done with drag . . .

Tom Daley takes plunge into the world of drag

Olympic diver is unrecognisable after donning dress and blonde wig for YouTube makeover show

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/962ef028c3a0222b

OP posts:
alcovecupboards · 06/10/2026 23:07

KittyWilkinson · 06/10/2026 23:04

Some people don't get out much do they? Claims that butch lesbians are pretending to be men, claims that lesbians spend their days with strap on willies along with cries of Careful Mavis or you'll have me eye out!
Lesbians ate my hamster.
(Sorry, that last one was someone else.)

I don't think anyone's suggested either of those things. They haven't even inferred them.

KittyWilkinson · 06/10/2026 23:07

GreyskySexRealistsky · 06/10/2026 23:05

Not so much talking to them as speaking for them, Kitty

Yes. I stand corrected. You are absolutely right.
Careful where you wave that fake willy now and stop wearing that checked shirt.

GreyskySexRealistsky · 06/10/2026 23:09

alcovecupboards · 06/10/2026 23:07

I don't think anyone's suggested either of those things. They haven't even inferred them.

Implied

RapidOnsetGenderCritic · 07/10/2026 01:27

MaIeficent · 05/10/2026 23:48

I just see it as an extension of the camp gay man act. If that's womanface then surely butch lesbians are kinda doing manface or at least culturally appropriating men.

Do you seriously think that camp gay men are similar to women?

TransParentlyAnnoyed · 07/10/2026 02:09

HannahinHampshire · 05/10/2026 20:27

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/962ef028c3a0222b

How depressing. I thought we were done with drag . . .

Drag is a protest and celebration of LGBTQIA+ people. It's practised by both men and women.

Of course it's not over.

WhatDoRacoonsSay · 07/10/2026 02:49

TransParentlyAnnoyed · 07/10/2026 02:09

Drag is a protest and celebration of LGBTQIA+ people. It's practised by both men and women.

Of course it's not over.

Interesting.
How is it a celebration of asexual people?
Do people who don't want to have sex, or a relationship want to be celebrated by men dressing as an exaggerated parody of women?
How does that work?

mathanxiety · 07/10/2026 02:57

alcovecupboards · 05/10/2026 22:00

"Character" rather suggests fictional, does it not? Children are teenagers. Given the thread - it shouldn't be a leap for you to grasp that this is a drag character. Now you have it spelled out for you, are you able to answer whether this man playing a woman, a mother, a foul-mouthed prostitute with her children is more offensive than Tom Daley having his make-up done and popping on a knitwear dress?

Why would it matter?

It's not whack-a-mole. They can both be offensive in their own way.

mathanxiety · 07/10/2026 03:04

alcovecupboards · 06/10/2026 17:44

I don't think you're seeing reality particularly clearly. There are bars and restaurants packed across the country with drag queens hosting events full of mainly women customers. If anything you said was true then that wouldn't be the case.

The reason for that is internalised misogyny.

LoudSnoringDog · 07/10/2026 05:50

He’s insufferable

Rollingpinofdoom · 07/10/2026 05:54

TransParentlyAnnoyed · 07/10/2026 02:09

Drag is a protest and celebration of LGBTQIA+ people. It's practised by both men and women.

Of course it's not over.

Nah mate. Not a protest. And I’ve noticed drag kings never have offensive names about men….. funny that…..

Imdunfer · 07/10/2026 08:00

alcovecupboards · 06/10/2026 22:16

I think you'll find strap-ons were made for - and by - lesbians almost exclusively. The word almost was there. Have you actually had a conversation with any lesbians?

I think you'll find that anal sex is now widespread and that there are men who enjoy receiving it from their female partners.

You need to get yourself a wider view of life.

Imdunfer · 07/10/2026 08:03

TransParentlyAnnoyed · 07/10/2026 02:09

Drag is a protest and celebration of LGBTQIA+ people. It's practised by both men and women.

Of course it's not over.

Drag practised by women is a bizarre corruption of drag. The whole point of drag was that it was a man masquerading as a woman.

The equivalent for a woman would be masquerading as an exaggerated man, like French and Saunders use to but more exaggerated, maybe.

A woman masquerading as a stereotype exaggerated woman is what, exactly? Not a feminist, for sure.

Shortshriftandlethal · 07/10/2026 08:52

alcovecupboards · 06/10/2026 22:14

Apparently not! But then I don't go around in a state of constant searching for anyone gender non-conforming. Life's too short!

Don't be ridiculous!

You don't need to be actively searching to come across and notice men presenting as women; you are aware of it as soon as you come across them; and so are most people.

WouldYouLikeAnyToast · 07/10/2026 11:34

Dandeloosha · 05/10/2026 23:42

I don’t hate men in dresses at all. I love a man in a kilt, I think rugby players dressed as the Spice Girls is hilarious, and I’m a big fan of the androgynous looks sported by the likes of David Bowie and Harry Styles. A bloke in a dress is just being a bloke in a dress. He isn’t pretending to be something he’s not. Drag is womanface.

Aw man, I'm just reading my way through the thread and 😳😂
Where's the popcorn emoji for calling men in kilts "men in skirts/dresses" as I'm place marking for when the Scots descend 🍿
I've always loved panto and Widow Twanky characters ever since I was little, and I enjoy watching Drag Race every now and again too.
So I don't think it's going anywhere, lots of people still enjoy it even if MN would have you think otherwise.

WouldYouLikeAnyToast · 07/10/2026 11:41

wherearemypeople · 06/10/2026 07:14

Ooh, what part of the country is currently not affected by the trans thing? In my city it's impossible to go anywhere without bumping into men with breasts. I'm thinking, workplace, art gallery staff, pub staff - Wetherspoons as well as the more alternative pubs, Sainsbury's, theatre (actors and audience).

I literally wouldn't even notice other people that much, never mind constantly "bumping into men with dresses."
That certainly isn't my experience at all.
I feel there's a touch of hyperbole about your post.

Wishesandhorses · 07/10/2026 12:33

That's very nice for you and is just your experience though. The experience of other women is likely to be different, and the women most vulnerable to enforced mix sex spaces to benefit men are likely to have a good deal more hypervigilance and heightened perception exactly because of those vulnerabilities. The women not noticing and happy with everything are not the women who need awareness raising and ensuring that their needs don't become swamped beneath others' luckier lives and perceptions.

PassTheHanky · 07/10/2026 14:25

Watching the video of Tom Daley I was struck by his deep voice, very broad shoulders and the bell sleeves designed to hide his big manly hands. I suspect his walking gait and standing posture would also be very manly.

The thick make up and wig might confuse for a milli-second but no-one would be fooled if this 'woman' walked into the ladies changing room and said "good morning".
Women are more than an inch of thick facial make up.

wherearemypeople · 07/10/2026 21:44

WouldYouLikeAnyToast · 07/10/2026 11:41

I literally wouldn't even notice other people that much, never mind constantly "bumping into men with dresses."
That certainly isn't my experience at all.
I feel there's a touch of hyperbole about your post.

So because my experience isn't your experience I must be making it up? If only!
It's actually really hard not to notice when the "man" on stage is actually a woman, or the person telling you about the latest art show is a big bloke with long hair and breasts. Or when you are folk dancing and you find yourself dancing with this chap
https://cool2btrans.co.uk/

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