# Why would a transvestite wear a wig? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 3, 2009, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-transvestite-wear-a-wig/484206 "2009-02-03T02:52:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-transvestite-wear-a-wig/484206/1 "2009-02-03T02:52:47Z")
I’m watching an episode of _The Closer_ where a suspect appears to be a woman until Chief Johnson snatches off his wig. Something I’ve seen in other shows. Only, this guy has a full head of his own hair. So why wear a wig? Why not just grow your own hair long and style it like a woman would? There are some things that distinguish women which men lack; hair is (barring male pattern baldness) not one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-transvestite-wear-a-wig/484206/2 "2009-02-03T02:54:05Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I’m watching an episode of _The Closer_ where a suspect appears to be a woman until Chief Johnson snatches off his wig. Something I’ve seen in other shows. Only, this guy has a full head of his own hair. So why wear a wig? Why not just grow your own hair long and style it like a woman would? There are some things that distinguish women which men lack; hair is (barring male pattern baldness) not one of them. Depends on whether you crossdress all the time or not. Some dress up only occasionally and might have a hard time explaining long silken tresses to their families, conservative coworkers, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-transvestite-wear-a-wig/484206/3 "2009-02-03T02:55:12Z")
[Why don’t you ask him?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=504806) ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-transvestite-wear-a-wig/484206/4 "2009-02-03T13:40:04Z")
The guy on “The Closer” called himself an illusionist. He only dressed as a woman for his job as an entertainer on a cruise ship. I think this may be true for many female impersonators/drag queens—only their onstage persona is female. ---
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-transvestite-wear-a-wig/484206/5 "2009-02-03T17:39:18Z")
For some people wigs are a fashion accessory like shoes, and enjoy the variety without the commitment. ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-transvestite-wear-a-wig/484206/6 "2009-02-03T18:32:56Z")
It depends on why the guy is cross-dressing. For the campy over-the-top drag queens, for example, wearing a wig is part of the process of getting into character. In fact, the best female impersonator I’ve ever met looks and acts quite masculine when he’s not in drag… he’s a jeans and workboots and t-shirt kind of guy, even though his alter-ego is into slinky sequined numbers, stiletto heels, bouffant hair and bright red lipstick. Once he’s in drag, he’s a completely different person… different name, different mannerisms, different voice, and different personality. If I hadn’t seen the before and after with my own eyes, I’d have had a lot of trouble making the connection. Plus, even assuming that long, flowy, girlie hair would be okay for a manly-man type, I don’t think he’d have done it. He was always very careful to keep his “regular” persona separate from his drag persona, so carrying over even a small part of his alter-ego into his regular life would be out of the question. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-transvestite-wear-a-wig/484206/7 "2009-02-04T00:27:25Z")
For all the reasons already mentioned . . . plus for the same reasons a woman might wear a wig.