drag

Imagine, if you will, that you are living in Missouri at the end of the Civil War (1864 or thereabouts). Imagine also that you are a woman without a ton of moneymaking options who is in need of a job ASAP. Oh, and you are also a recently freed slave living in a place and time where people are still getting used to the idea that you aren't a piece of property. (And we thought it was tough to find a job in this economy.) What on earth will you do to support yourself?

Well, if you are a feisty entrepeneuse with a working knowledge of military life like Ms. Cathay Williams, what you will do is dress in drag and join the U.S. Army.

As you may have seen in Nicole J. Georges' tributes to gay animals, we are learning that gender in the animal kingdom is just as fluid for cats, dogs, giraffes, birds, and monkeys as it is for us humans. Why is it, then, that we still encourage animals (humans included) to conform to antiquated gender roles? Some members of the animal kingdom have had enough of this, like this doggeh who is sick of being dressed like a princess:



And this kitteh is having the opposite problem. Poor lil' guy just wants to dress like a princess!



Here is yet another member of the animal kingdom who is choosing to express her nontraditional gender.



Have a great, gender-bendy weekend, everyone! And if you've got an idea for feminizt LOLz, make your own at I Can Has Cheezburger and send 'em our way!

Welcome to the first entry of sm[art]! As a visually-focused person (I’m the art director here at Bitch), I decided it was high time to devote a special spot to visual arts. I hope to spotlight the works of artists of all kinds, who have some feminist, social or political themes in their work.