Transgender and Cross Dressing Culture "Drag: A Magazine About the Transvestite" Periodical Archive Recording Performance, Media, and Organizing 1972 to 1975

Lee Brewster Transgender and Cross Dressing Transgender Cross Dressing

Periodical

Brewster, Lee G. (ed.). Drag: A Magazine About the Transvestite. These periodicals document the organization, representation, and internal discourse of transvestite and drag communities in the United States during the early 1970s, a period of expanding visibility following the emergence of gay liberation movements. Published between 1972 and 1975, Drag functioned as a forum for performance culture, identity formation, and community networking, addressing topics ranging from theatrical impersonation to legal challenges and social stigma. Edited by Lee G. Brewster, a central figure in early cross-dressing advocacy and founder of Queens Liberation Front, the magazine provided a structured platform for discussing gender expression, labor, and media representation at a time when such subjects remained largely excluded from mainstream publications.

Brewster, Lee G. (ed.). Drag: A Magazine About the Transvestite. New York: Lee’s Mardi Gras Enterprises, Inc., 1972. Vol. 2, No. 7. Contents include “The Raelle Sisters,” “Shakespeare’s Boy Actresses,” “Male Prostitutes,” and “TVIC: Hartford,” reflecting engagement with performance traditions, labor conditions, and regional organizing.
Brewster, Lee G. (ed.). Drag. New York: Lee’s Mardi Gras Enterprises, Inc., 1975. Vol. 5, No. 19. Includes a “Special Supplement With Guide” covering drag events in Washington and Chicago, New York performance scenes, and critical commentary on impersonation culture.
Brewster, Lee G. (ed.). Drag: The International Transvestite Quarterly. New York: Lee’s Mardi Gras Enterprises, Inc., n.d. Vol. 6, No. 24. Subtitled “The International Transvestite Quarterly,” with sections such as “Drag Times” reporting on media coverage and legal controversies, including discussions of gender representation in popular culture.
Archive of three issues in illustrated wrappers, printed with black-and-white photographs and cover imagery, documenting performance, community life, and public discourse surrounding gender nonconformity.

These issues were produced during a period in which drag and transvestite communities developed increasingly visible networks across urban centers in the United States, supported by print culture that facilitated communication and shared identity. The magazine’s coverage of performance, legal issues, and media representation reflects broader shifts in public awareness and internal community organization during the early 1970s. Light edge wear to wrappers, minor creasing at corners, and light toning to interior pages; staples secure with no detached leaves; overall very good condition. The archive supports research into transgender history, performance culture, and early LGBTQ periodical publishing.

Item #23020

Price: $750.00

Status: On Hold