My hypothesis for this Independent Study is that the portrayal of cross-dressing varies according to the genre. In comedy texts such as "Some Like It Hot" (1959) the audience can laugh at the characters because of their behaviour and the fact that, in this example, they retain male characteristics and are not convincing as women. Conversely a film such as "Breakfast On Pluto" takes a look at the serious side of a person's desire to dress as a member of the opposite sex. Cross-dressing in this case is more of an emotional desire to appear as a woman rather than to dress as a woman solely to entertain.

Cross-dressing can also be glamorised such as in the case of comedy "To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar" (1995) which features Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo as drag queens. Throughout the film they represent the glamour of New York, dress in amazing costumes and brighten the lives of the inhabitants of dull Snydersville. They also maintain the comedy element of cross-dressing due to the masculinity of the protagonists who are better known for films such as "Blade" (1998) and "Collateral Damage" (2002).