I always thought it as a comedy tradition and related to both Shakespearean puritan prudity that women working as actresses are also prostitues advertising and

I always thought it as a comedy tradition and related to both Shakespearean puritan prudity that women working as actresses are also prostitues advertising and therefore should be banned. Plus the British public school "traditions" based upon good ole imperial anti-decadence as the peak of messed up presenting itself as the peak of morality (see Roman gladiatoral combat and its professed purpose). The concept of the boarding schools were because they worried the compassion of women raising young men would make them too weak. Their whole foundation was frankly of the "so misogynistic it winds up automatically homosexual because women can't be considered people by them". I state homosexual as opposed to gay because it refers to behavior rather than preferences. Surprisingly the majority won't choose celibacy over their preferred gender - so women are subsitited for men despite a preference for them. The crossdressing speaks to both the "boys club" society and the "easy to laugh at" - comedy actors are usually about average or below in attractiveness. Graham Chapman also was very to the "ubermanly men". It could have been a "stop being stereotypical" thing - a "it should be laughed at because the mincing is ridiculous" attitude.