There is a crop of men coming up who prefer dropping their pants for tights, skirts and dresses. They desire to be feminine, to have women’s mannerisms and privileges. They want to be considered beautiful and not handsome, cute and not debonair. They want to enhance their looks using makeup in ways men don’t often do it.

For some men, dropping the pants for skirts could be a form of gender identity exploration because they feel their self aligns more with femininity, for others it could be a means of breaking gender norms which they find restrictive and limiting and for others, it could simply be personal preferences because they feel more comfortable expressing femininity in their dressing, behavior and appearances.

Additionally, the reasons behind this could be cultural and historical influences while for others, it could be a desire for inclusivity and equality as a means of breaking down gender barriers and challenging the status quo.

This is a lists of Kenyan men who dropped their pants for tights and dresses, and are renowned for it:

Dennis Karuri – The renowned makeup artiste is the most renowned cross dresser in Kenya and whenever he dresses up as a woman, it is extremely difficult to tell that he is a biological male.

Jony Hairdesigner – Born John Mungai, he was of the opinion that this lifestyle earned him more brand partnerships as an influencer compared to when he is simply a normal man on social media.

Victor Maish – He is a fashion stylist and one of Dennis Karuri’s closest friends. Together with Jony, they are like the three musketeers.

Kelvin Kinuthia – He is a social media influencer who prefers dressing up and looking like a woman from head to toe.

Maxwell Mwamburi – Also known as Maxine Mkamburi, just like Dennis Karuri, slays at being a female more than he does being male. He is not apologetic about having feminine tendencies and often speaks of his journey and love life in this lifestyle.

Tuitoek Samanayo – A renowned TikToker and podcaster who identifies as gay, he is open about his life choices on social media and is often posting content of himself in female attire- sometimes, too provocative.

Brian Chira – He gained fame in December 2022 after being interviewed for a news bulletin regarding a fatal accident he had witnessed in Ngata, Nakuru, where 11 people died. His mannerisms while speaking caught the attention of many. He later revealed he is a member of the queer community. Lately, he has been posting photos of himself spotting heavy makeup and wigs.