What does gender-fluid mean? Courtney Act explains how gender-fluidity set her free

Courtney Act, who identifies as genderfluid

RuPaul’s Drag Race superstar Courtney Act says identifying as gender-fluid allowed her to be “much more comfortable” than she had ever felt in her own skin.

Act described a huge change in “how I felt on the inside” on adopting the label gender-fluid, in an exclusive interview with PinkNews.

The pansexual Celebrity Big Brother winner also shared her advice to anyone who may be questioning their gender or sexuality.

She said: “I also identify as gender-fluid, which means I’m not going to conform to some societal expectation of being a man or being a woman, and that I’m just going to be me – dress how I want to dress, act how I want to act.

“It’s funny because ever since I started identifying as gender-fluid it didn’t actually change anything about how I looked on the outside, it actually just changed how I felt on the inside.

 

(Instagram/courtneyact)

“I felt so much more comfortable embracing my femininity and masculinity, and knowing that a human being has place enough for both of those and doesn’t just have to be masculine or feminine – you can just be you.”

The drag superstar spoke exclusively to PinkNews ahead of her Under The Covers tour, and also gave her advice to anyone who may be unsure about their gender identity.

 

Courtney Act

Courtney Act performing at Sydney Mardi Gras (Getty)

“I think that everyone should question their gender and their sexuality, and just dig into it and see what it means and don’t be afraid of the answer,” Act said.

“It can be kind of scary – even in 2018 – but get online, read different opinions, watch YouTube videos, talk to your friends that you feel comfortable talking to.

“There’s also lots of community organisations out there where you can go and meet like-minded people, or explore your ideas with them.

“And don’t be afraid to kiss a few frogs.”


Courtney Act also clarified her stance on the crossover between performing as a drag king or queen, and transgender identity, as she answered PinkNews readers’ questions.

She explained: “It depends on the individual person and how they identify – if they identify as a trans and as a drag queen.

“I think for somebody like Bianca Del Rio there is absolutely no intersection between her gender and her drag.

“For somebody like me, I think there is intersection. I don’t identify as trans because I think the trans identity is something specific and it is a whole journey unto itself.

“I describe myself as gender-fluid and somebody who does drag.”

Watch the full interview on PinkNews’ YouTube channel.