What's In A Name?

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

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(Full article written by Aaron Pierre Brown. Please do not copy and paste in part or whole without express permission from the author at fu@houseofenigma.com)

For the sake of fair competition, the contestants themselves are categorized as such:

Butch Queens (BQs)- gay males, regardless to which end of the masculine/ feminine scale they choose to identify with (the category specifics determine which way to lean).

Femme Queens (FQs)- males at varying stages of gender reassignment; from the time they starts taking female hormones, they are no longer BQs. When you have a biologically androgynous male, there exists the flexibility to compete in categories designated for either BQs or FQs, provided there aren't any additional prerequisites.

BQs in Drag- gay males that do drag, but have not started taking female hormones. They may have their own categories, or compete with the FQs in some instances.

Women (or Female) - biological. This division does not demand a particular sexual orientation, but does lean toward a feminine demeanor.

Butches- sometimes referred to as "male illusionists", are generally classified as masculine lesbians, but any female possessing manly appearance and mannerisms can qualify, regardless to sexual preference.

Men- denotes contestants from the "straight" pool of patrons that still attend these functions. "Male" is used in other cases where sexual preference has no bearing on a particular category's fairness, such as with "Best Dressed Male" or "Male Muscular Body".

Open To All (OTA)- does not designate gender or persuasion, but you may have to meet other requirements, such as a specific prop or costume.