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[Opinions] Re: since you asked politely ..
Because I truly don't know: Is there a term used for someone who dresses up as the opposite gender as part of a schtick or as a character but does not actually identify as transgender? I thought transvestite was the term for this and had no idea it was considered offensive prior to reading this post. Cross-dresser?
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There isn’t a universal term as far as I know. I’d say the safest bet is drag artist/queen/king/performer. I use the term “cross-dressing” in my dissertation title but I wouldn’t use this generally, though I’m sure some drag artists do. I feel like there was at one time someone on the boards who performed as a drag king, so maybe they’ll pop up and answer your question better than I have.
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Akua TopazHere is a good article:https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/sexual-orientation-gender/trans-and-gender-nonconforming-identities/transgender-identity-terms-and-labels
It's confusing and it seems new but it really isn't. There are lots of historical examples (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_cross-dressing), the big difference is that society is being far more openminded and discussing it. Gender eoles are also going through a significant change, similar to what happened in the '60s and '70s.

This message was edited 2/13/2018, 6:06 PM

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Thanks for posting that article. The more you know!
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She is the person who used to perform as a drag king.

This message was edited 2/13/2018, 8:54 PM

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Oh, I forgot about that.
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What about a man who is not gay, not transgender, but likes to dress as a woman for a sexual thrill? Is the word "transvestite" still offensive in that context?
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I think so? I found an article that talked about that.Honestly, I don't know. Eddie Izzard used to refer to himself as an executive transvestite, but now he uses transgender.I just avoid the word altogether because if the baggage it carries.
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