Mulan: Defining an Identity

Mulan isn't your typical Disney princess like most expect from a Disney movie...she is quite the opposite actually, as she later disguises herself as a man. 
The beginning of the film explains to us that Mulan's destiny has been set for her by her parents and society. She is being put into the process of becoming a Geisha. This process is suppose to present her to society as a perfect woman that will entertain men by acting and dressing the part of a Geisha.
In order to play her role of a Geisha, Mulan must paint her face white and add color to her cheeks, lips, and eyes, wear her hair up in a graceful bun tied with silk, put on earrings, and squeeze her waist in tight and wear a long elegant dress called a Kimono. Each of these details that make her appearance label Mulan as a Geisha; a graceful, smart, and beautiful woman ready to entertain. 
Without all of the makeup, jewelry, and clothing, Mulan can not become a Geisha. It is these accessories and clothing items that create this image to the world. In her society she will not be viewed as this graceful and beautiful woman if she does not dress up with these details.

However the life of a Geisha is not what Mulan sees as her destiny. Mulan decides to go into war to take her fathers place who is too old to fight. In order to fight, she must disguise herself as a man. Not only must Mulan have to learn to act like a man, but she must completely change her physical appearance. In order for her to create this opposite image of a man, she must touch on all of the same details and accessories but in the opposite manner. The
transformation involves cutting her hair off, taking off all of her makeup, taping back her chest, and dressing in a man's solider uniform. Society will only view her as a man if she changes all of these details in her appearance. 
These accessories and details that create Mulan's two different identities are necessary in order for her to be recognized and accepted by society as either a woman or a man. If Mulan does not wear clothing which extenuates her waist or put on makeup, she will not be accepted by society as a woman. As a man, if Mulan does not have her hair cut short or wear a mans uniform she is not recognized as man to society.  It seems like its things like pieces of clothing and hair and make up which defines you as a man or a woman in society.


Is that right? Or should it depend on whether you were physically born as a man or a woman? Is it ok to define someone based on how they present themselves through their clothing and accessories? Does clothing, hair, and makeup define our sex?