The world of drag performance is often associated with drag queens - men who perform as exaggerated, flamboyant versions of women. But there is a lesser-known counterpart, one that challenges conventional notions of gender and identity in its own unique way. This is the world of drag kings, women who adopt male personas to explore, parody, and subvert traditional masculinity. "Venus Boyz", a 2002 documentary directed by Gabriel Baur, takes an intimate and in-depth look at this fascinating subculture, offering a compelling glimpse into the lives of women who embrace masculinity as a form of performance, identity, and self-expression.
Shot across two vibrant cities, London and New York City, "Venus Boyz" explores the lives of a diverse group of drag kings, their motivations, transformations, and the personal journeys that lead them to embody male alter egos. While the film spans two continents, it reveals that the struggles, desires, and dreams of these women are surprisingly similar, regardless of the cultural and geographical divide between them. "Venus Boyz" opens with a legendary Drag King Night in New York City, a focal point for the documentary’s exploration of female masculinity. The event serves as a launchpad for the film’s broader investigation into the performative aspects of gender. Through a series of captivating performances, we are introduced to a variety of drag kings, each bringing their own unique interpretation of masculinity to the stage. One of the most memorable figures in the film is Mildred Gerestant, a Haitian-American woman whose drag persona embodies a combination of classic African-American male icons, including Isaac Hayes, Marvin Gaye, and Puff Daddy.
Gerestant's drag character, Dréd, is a smooth street operator with a thin beard, a slouch hat, and a sly smile - a striking contrast to her own gentle demeanor. Through her portrayal, Gerestant critiques and appropriates the power dynamics inherent in traditional masculinity. Her performance is not just about parodying male behavior but also embracing the liberties that come with it. As Dréd, she feels empowered to swagger, leer, and flirt - activities traditionally reserved for men. In this way, "Venus Boyz" highlights the paradox of masculinity: while it can be oppressive, it can also be fun and liberating to inhabit. Other performers in the film take a more critical approach to gender roles. Diane Torr, a seasoned drag king performer, embodies a drab, angry middle-aged man - someone whose performance is as much a study of gender as it is an act of entertainment. Torr’s meticulous research into her character’s gestures, stride, and attitude paints a portrait of middle-American frustration and rage. Through this character, Torr explores how masculinity is often tied to aggression, frustration, and societal expectations. Her performance is a stark commentary on how traditional notions of manhood can be limiting and destructive, yet her portrayal is infused with pathos, making it both poignant and unsettling.
While the New York drag king scene is grounded in theatricality - emphasizing makeup, costumes, and performance - "Venus Boyz" also shifts its focus to the more radical and transformative drag king scene in London. Here, the documentary delves deeper into the lives of individuals who are navigating their identities beyond the binary confines of male and female. Some of the women in this segment are transgendered individuals who have undergone hormonal or surgical transformations to transition from female to male. For them, the drag king persona is not merely a performance but an existential necessity, a way of aligning their outward appearance with their internal sense of self. One of the most striking elements of this part of the film is the exploration of gender as a fluid and malleable concept. Unlike the more performative drag kings in New York, these individuals are carving out new social spaces that exist beyond the traditional gender binary. Some of them, like one interviewee in particular, suggest the need for a third option on official documents such as passports - male, female, or other - reflecting their rejection of the rigid classifications of gender that have dominated society for centuries. For these individuals, the act of transformation is not simply about performance, but about survival and self-actualization. As they navigate the complex terrain of gender identity, their stories challenge viewers to rethink what it means to be a man or a woman, and what it means to occupy space in a world that often insists on categorizing people in binary terms.
At its core, "Venus Boyz" is a film about the performance of identity. The documentary explores how the act of "becoming" a man - whether temporarily, as in a drag king performance, or permanently, as in the case of gender transition - offers a powerful tool for self-exploration and subversion. Gender, Baur suggests, is not a static condition but a performance, a series of actions and behaviors that can be adopted, modified, and discarded at will. This fluidity is key to understanding the appeal of drag kings. For many of the women featured in the documentary, inhabiting a male persona allows them to challenge the societal expectations placed on them as women. They can explore freedom in ways that are unavailable to them in their everyday lives. For example, adopting male behavior allows them to explore power dynamics, eroticism, and even aggression in a way that is often forbidden to women in mainstream culture. Yet, as "Venus Boyz" demonstrates, these performances are not without their complexities. They can also be uncomfortable and even dangerous, as the characters they embody often expose the darker sides of masculinity - violence, entitlement, and misogyny.
Filmed in a raw, unpolished style, "Venus Boyz" feels both intimate and unfiltered. Shot on video, the documentary’s visual style reflects the grassroots nature of the drag king scene it captures. While some critics have noted that Baur’s use of digital effects can be excessive at times, the overall aesthetic of the film gives it a "homemade" quality that makes it feel personal and immediate. The documentary’s strength lies in its ability to gain the trust of its subjects, offering a rare and authentic look into their lives. These women are not simply performers - they are individuals with rich, complex stories about identity, transformation, and the search for freedom. The film’s portrayal of drag kings across two continents also highlights the universal nature of the issues it addresses. While New York’s drag king scene is more theatrical and performative, and London’s is more focused on radical gender transformations, both share a common thread: they challenge the social constructs of gender and provide a space for self-expression that exists beyond traditional norms.
Gabriel Baur’s "Venus Boyz" is a thought-provoking and groundbreaking documentary that explores the world of drag kings, offering a nuanced portrayal of women who perform masculinity. Through its exploration of gender performance, transformation, and subversion, the film raises important questions about identity, power, and the social structures that shape our understanding of gender. It invites viewers to reflect on the fluidity of gender and to question the limitations imposed by society on how we define ourselves and each other. Ultimately, "Venus Boyz" is a celebration of the power of performance, the complexity of identity, and the transformative potential of self-expression.
Image credits: DailyMotion
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