This work attempts a feminist and psychoanalytic investigation of the contemporary fascination with impersonation. Questions raised include: when - and for whom - is a performance of an identity a masquerade, rather than the real thing?, why do people try to pass as what they are not?, and is there a difference between masquerade and passing if both make identity an unnatural act? Questions raised by female impersonations in a wide range of contemporary media are considered, from Dolly Parton and Renee Richards to Luce Irigaray and Jacques Derrida. The text aims to tackle the problems...

This work attempts a feminist and psychoanalytic investigation of the contemporary fascination with impersonation. Questions raised include: when - and for whom - is a performance of an identity a masquerade, rather than the real thing?, why do people try to pass as what they are not?, and is there a difference between masquerade and passing if both make identity an unnatural act? Questions raised by female impersonations in a wide range of contemporary media are considered, from Dolly Parton and Renee Richards to Luce Irigaray and Jacques Derrida. The text aims to tackle the problems...