America's Prettiest Girl: The Remarkable Story of Gender-Bending Trailblazer Lionel 'Iron Mike' Ames

America's Prettiest Girl: The Remarkable Story of Gender-Bending Trailblazer Lionel 'Iron Mike' Ames

In an era decades before "RuPaul's Drag Race" or political battles over drag performers, a University of Michigan student named Lionel "Iron Mike" Ames became a national sensation for his stunning performances in women's roles. His story reveals how gender performance in early 1920s America existed in a complex social space — celebrated as entertainment while performers carefully navigated rigid boundaries of sexuality and identity. College perf…