Editing Cross-dressing (section)

== Cross-dressing in the 21st century ==

=== Fashion trends ===
[[File:Camp - Notes on Fashion at the Met (73835).jpg|thumb|[[Camp (style)|Camp fashion]] made an appearance during the 2019 [[Met Gala]] which had the theme of "Camp: Notes on Fashion", A themed [[Camp: Notes on Fashion|exhibit of the same name]] was later displayed at the [[The Met Fifth Avenue|Met Fifth Avenue]].]]
Cross-dressing today is much more common and normalized due to trends such as [[Camp (style)|camp]] fashion and [[androgynous]] fashion. 
Camp is a style of fashion that has had a long history extending all the way back to the Victorian era to the modern era. During the [[Victorian era]] up until the mid-20th century, it was defined as an exaggerated and flamboyant style of dressing.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |title=Camp Fashion Unveiled: Stunning Examples and the 3 Key Elements |url=https://usatales.com/what-is-camp-fashion-examples-and-elements/ |date=30 November 2022 |access-date=1 December 2022 |archive-date=1 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221201064448/https://usatales.com/what-is-camp-fashion-examples-and-elements/ |url-status=dead }}{{unreliable source?|date=November 2023}}</ref> This was typically associated with ideas of [[effeminacy]], de-masculization, and homosexuality.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Erika W. |title=Ahead Of The Met Gala, Remember: 'You Can't Have Camp Without Queer' |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/05/231016/camp-fashion-gay-culture-drag-lgbtq-history |work=Refinery29 |date=18 April 2019 |access-date=1 December 2022 |archive-date=1 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221201064446/https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/05/231016/camp-fashion-gay-culture-drag-lgbtq-history |url-status=live }}</ref> As the trend entered the 20th century, it also developed an association with a lack of conduct, creating the connotation that those who engaged in Camp are unrefined, improper, distasteful, and, essentially, undignified. Though this was its former understanding, Camp has now developed a new role in the fashion industry. It is considered a fashion style that has "failed seriousness" and has instead become a fun way of self-expression. Thanks to its integration with high fashion and extravagance, Camp is now seen as a high art form of absurdity: including loud, vibrant, bold, fun, and empty frivolity.<ref name=":0" />
[[File:RuPaul at Dragcon 2019 by dvsross (cropped).jpg|192x192px|thumb|Drag icon [[RuPaul]] speaking at [[RuPaul's DragCon LA|RuPaul's DragCon]] in Los Angeles in 2019.|left]]
Camp is often used in drag culture as a method of exaggerating or inversing traditional conceptions of what it means to be feminine. In actuality, the QTPOC community has had a large impact on Camp. This is exhibited by [[ballroom culture]], camp/glamour queens, Black '70s funk, Caribbean Carnival costumes, Blaxploitation movies, "pimp/player fashion", and more. This notion has also been materialized by camp icons such as [[Josephine Baker]] and [[RuPaul]].<ref name=":0" />

Androgynous fashion is described as neither masculine nor feminine rather it is the embodiment of a gender inclusive and sexually neutral fashion of expression. The general understanding of androgynous fashion is mixing both masculine and feminine pieces with the goal of producing a look that has no visual differentiations between one gender or another. This look is achieved by masking the general body so that one cannot identify the biological sex of an individual given the silhouette of the clothing pieces: Therefore, many androgynous looks include looser, baggier clothing that can conceal curves in the female body or using more "feminine" fabrics and prints for men.
[[File:Harry Styles - St. Paul, MN 7 1 2018 (41393943120).jpg|thumb|251x251px|Musician [[Harry Styles]] wearing a shimmery [[Pussy bow|pussy-bow]] blouse at a concert in [[Saint Paul, Minnesota|Saint Paul]] in 2018.]]
Both of these style forms have been normalized and popularized by celebrities such as [[Harry Styles]], [[Timothée Chalamet]], [[Billie Eilish]], [[Troye Sivan]], and more.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-11-01 |title=The iconic Princess Diana fashion moment that changed the lives of two fashion designers |url=https://www.hellomagazine.com/fashion/royal-style/20221101155704/princess-diana-sheep-jumper-designers/ |access-date=2022-12-01 |website=HELLO! |language=en |archive-date=2022-12-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221201064449/https://www.hellomagazine.com/fashion/royal-style/20221101155704/princess-diana-sheep-jumper-designers/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Societal changes ===
[[File:C2E2 2015 - Misty (16697788693).jpg|left|thumb|220x220px|An individual [[crossplay (cosplay)|crossplaying]] as [[Misty (Pokémon)|Misty]] from the popular [[anime]] [[Pokémon (TV series)|Pokémon]] at [[Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo]] in 2015.]]
Beyond fashion, cross-dressing in non-Western countries has not fully outgrown the negative connotations that it has in the West. For instance, many Eastern and Southeastern Asian countries have a narrative of discrimination and stigma against LGBTQ+ and cross-dressing individuals. This is especially evident in the post-pandemic world. During this time, it was clear to see the failures of these governments to provide sufficient support to these individuals due to a lack of legal services, lack of job opportunity, and more. For instance, to be able to receive government aid, these individuals need to be able to quickly change their legal name, gender, and other information on official ID documents.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2022-11-14 |title=Asia and the Pacific Islands: Pandemic's disproportionate impact on transgender people should be "wake-up call" to governments |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/11/asia-pacific-pandemics-transgender-rights/ |access-date=2022-12-01 |website=Amnesty International |language=en}}</ref> This fault augmented the challenges of income loss, food insecurity, safe housing, healthcare, and more for many trans and cross-dressing individuals. This was especially pertinent as many of these individuals relied on entertainment and sex work for income. With the pandemic removing these job opportunities, the stigmatisation and discrimination against these individuals only increased, especially in Southeast Asian countries.<ref name=":2" />

On the other hand, some Asian countries have grown to be more accepting of cross-dressing as modernization has increased. For instance, among Japan's niche communities, there exists the [[otokonoko]]. This is a group of male-assigned individuals who engage in female cross-dressing as a form of gender expression. This trend originated with [[manga]] and grew with an increase in [[Maid café|maid cafes]], [[cosplay]]ing, and more in the 2010s.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ripley |first1=Will |title=A 51-year-old male schoolgirl? Meet Tokyo's inspirational cross-dresser |url=https://www.cnn.com/2014/07/19/world/asia/japan-inspirational-cross-dresser/index.html |work=CNN |date=20 July 2014 |access-date=1 December 2022 |archive-date=1 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221201073100/https://www.cnn.com/2014/07/19/world/asia/japan-inspirational-cross-dresser/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> With the normalization of this through cosplay, cross-dressing has become a large part of [[otaku]] and [[anime]] culture.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-11-10 |title=LSA100: Rule Breaker Hakken is comfortable in their own skin, in cosplay and in life |url=https://www.lifestyleasia.com/kl/digital-cover/lsa100-rule-breaker-hakken-cosplayer/ |access-date=2022-12-01 |website=Lifestyle Asia Kuala Lumpur |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2023, [[Death of Noor Alsaffar|Noor Alsaffar]], an Iraqi vlogger and model, who described themselves as a cross-dresser, was murdered.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-27 |title=Iraqi social media influencer Um Fahad shot dead by motorbike gunman in Baghdad - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iraq-investigating-killing-um-fahad-social-media-influencer/ |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-04-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240427201521/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iraq-investigating-killing-um-fahad-social-media-influencer/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |date=2024-04-27 |title=Iraqi Authorities Investigate Killing of TikTok Star |url=https://time.com/6971797/iraqi-authorities-investigate-tiktok-star-om-fahad-killing/ |access-date=2024-04-28 |magazine=TIME |language=en |archive-date=2024-04-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240427211650/https://time.com/6971797/iraqi-authorities-investigate-tiktok-star-om-fahad-killing/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Popular Iraqi female TikTok star shot dead in Baghdad night attack |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/4/27/iraqi-tiktok-star-om-fahad-shot-dead-in-baghdad-night-attack |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en |archive-date=2024-04-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240427183634/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/4/27/iraqi-tiktok-star-om-fahad-shot-dead-in-baghdad-night-attack |url-status=live }}</ref> The killing of Alsaffar appears to be linked to an increase in homophobia and transphobia in Iraq.<ref name=":03">{{Cite web |last=Morey |first=Alice |date=2023-09-29 |title=Popular Iraqi TikToker allegedly shot dead in Baghdad |url=https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/life/popular-iraqi-tiktoker-shot-dead-in-baghdad/ |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=GAY TIMES |language=en-GB |archive-date=2024-04-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240428104911/https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/life/popular-iraqi-tiktoker-shot-dead-in-baghdad/ |url-status=live }}</ref>