In 1852, at 17 years old, Emma Snodgrass was the first young woman to be arrested for wearing pants. According to Tara Ramanathan of Britannica.com many people who saw her walking around Boston in pants thought she was a man, which officials decided was illegal because she was born a female.
Interestingly, she was seen around town with another young woman named Harriet French, who went by Charley, and would also wear pants. While Snodgrass was never formally jailed, unfortunately French spent two months incarcerated in either a jail or working camp. When asked why she did it, Snodgrass responded that she could make more money as a man in her job as a clerk.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t until 1923 — 103 years ago — that it was declared lawful for women to wear pants anywhere. Such a story sounds absurd today, but was the reality of any woman who dared to wear pants before it was legal.
Early Examples of Cross-Dressing
This trend of vilifying cross-dressing can still be seen today in drag. While it is relatively accepted now and broadcast in popular shows such as RuPaul’s Drag Race, drag queens and any man caught cross-dressing in the early 19th century had the same treatment as Snodgrass and French: they were arrested.
An early example of this was William Dorsey Swann in the 1880s. According to Channing Joseph of Outhistory.org, Swann was referred to as “the queen of the ball.” When the police raided his party, the party-goers, who were all Black men, scattered. They were all wearing silk and satin skirts and dresses. However Swann, also in a dress, ran towards the police to try to stop them from entering.
In total, 13 men were arrested from Swann’s party and “charged for being suspicious characters.” They were ordered to pay a bond or serve 30 days in jail, and their names were printed in the papers for everyone to see as a way of shaming them.
A number of laws came into effect across America in the early 20th century that would be used to target cross-dressing and queer gender expression. They originated as a way to stop white farmers from dressing up as Native Americans and fighting off tax collectors. Referred to as “masquerade laws,” they ended up being used as a tool to stifle gender variance, according to Hugh Ryan of History.com.
Law enforcement used such laws to oppress the queer and/or cross-dressing community well into the mid-late 20th century, when it came to a head in 1969 with the Stonewall Riots. History.com reports that the Stonewall Riots occurred in 1969 In Greenwich Village in New York when police raided the gay nightclub the Stonewall Inn. It resulted in days of protest and served as a catalyst for queer rights in the U.S.
Fashion as Political Uprising
Cross-dressing and fashion in general have been important parts of political protests in the U.S. for the last century. From Snodgrass and French in the 1850s to drag today, fashion is used to protest current political and conservative gender inequality as well as queer oppression.
A great example of a drag queen leading the charge for gender and queerness equality goes by the name Pattie Gonia. According to Stanford, she is a critically acclaimed drag queen, environmentalist and advocate for inclusivity and diversity in the outdoors. She is known for queer equality, and videos drawing awareness and resistance to the current political administration.
The fight to end the hysteria and oppression that follows drag queens is a fight for gender and queerness equality. Women have made headway at least being able to wear pants in public without being arrested. And while drag might not be illegal, there are many who still mock it and call it vile.
Fashion as Political Uprising
Cross-dressing and fashion in general have been important parts of political protests in the U.S. for the last century. From Snodgrass and French in the 1850s to drag today, fashion is used to protest current political and conservative gender inequality as well as queer oppression.
A great example of a drag queen leading the charge for gender and queerness equality goes by the name Pattie Gonia. According to Stanford, she is a critically acclaimed drag queen, environmentalist and advocate for inclusivity and diversity in the outdoors. She is known for queer equality, and videos drawing awareness and resistance to the current political administration.
The fight to end the hysteria and oppression that follows drag queens is a fight for gender and queerness equality. Women have made headway at least being able to wear pants in public without being arrested. And while drag might not be illegal, there are many who still mock it and call it vile.
Drag queens are a big middle finger to the conservative political movement in our current administration. Pattie Gonia has made videos criticizing the current secretary of defense and his antiquated views of masculinity in the military, showing him up with his own workouts. And of course, she did it in full drag.
Gender itself can be used as a form of political protest; from a woman who chooses to never have children, someone who is queer or someone who identifies as transgender, gender can itself be political. And using it as someone wants in a way that goes against the status quo is a very powerful tool in resistance and the fight for gender and sexual orientation equality.
And fashion can and should be used as an outward display of this resistance. Cross-dressing for women has been accepted, but it has not been fully accepted for men. The acceptance of drag and men cross-dressing during the day-to-day is an important step towards gender equality and queer acceptance.
Ways To Support
There are quite a few things people can do to show support: attending live and virtual shows, engaging with them in the community and online, and fighting restrictive legislation are all great ways to aid in the fight for equality. So, support your local drag community and join the resistance.
