In the early days of the Gay Liberation Front, the boundaries between gender identity and sexual orientation were porous. To be a “drag queen” in the 1970s was often to live as a de facto trans woman, given the lack of medical or social infrastructure for transition. Conversely, many trans men found solidarity with butch lesbians. This intermixing created a powerful, if chaotic, coalition—one that understood that policing gender (how you present) is inextricably linked to policing sexuality (who you love).

: A significant aspect of any performance is the connection between the artist and their audience. Solo performances, in particular, offer a unique opportunity for this connection, as the artist can directly engage with their viewers, share their story, and build a community around their work.

The recent rise of the generation—kids who reject the binary entirely—is blurring the lines once again. Many young people who would have been labeled “tomboyish lesbians” in 1995 now identify as non-binary or transmasculine. This is not a crisis; it is an evolution of understanding.