Nay, faith, let me not play a woman; I have a beard coming.
– William Shakespeare
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act 1, Scene 2. Flute is forced to play the female role of Thisbe in the play-within-the-play, Pyramus and Thisbe. And he is none too happy about it, arguing that he is sure his beard will grow soon. To which Quince replies that it will make no difference as he will be wearing a mask: "That’s all one. You shall play it in a mask, and you may speak as small as you will."