Drag queens have threatened to boycott Facebook for refusing to let them use stage names on the site.

The world's largest social media network has been blocking hundreds of profiles that do not comply with the policy requiring users to operate under their legal names.

But a group of transvestites in San Francisco claim it is their human right to identify as their alter-egos.

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Enraged: Drag queens (from left) Lil Ms Hot Mess, Sister Roma and Heklina spoke of their disappointment last night after Facebook executives met with them and refused to change the policy banning stage names

Protest: Sister Roma, the performer who instigated the dispute, and Supervisor David Campos told the social media giant its policy was 'misguided'. Aliases are an integral part of a cross dresser's identity, they said

Last night, the dispute was inflamed after executives from the firm's headquarters met with the protest group Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and explicitly refused to adjust the terms and conditions of the site.

The social media giant claims the policy 'helps create a safer and more accountable environment'.

Speaking after the meeting at San Francisco city hall on Wednesday, the performers blasted the policy as 'misguided'.

Jinkx Monsoon, star of RuPaul's Drag Race, condemned the policy as a distraction from other more important issues in the community, telling MailOnline: 'Can Facebook just get this figured out quickly please? Aliases have existed for ages, it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone!

'While we squabble over this, we're wasting time we could be spending on more important issues affecting our community.'

Drag queen performers, or men who dress in flamboyant female clothing for nightclub shows, usually use a stage name that has no relation to their real name.

Anger: Sister Roma and Heklina are two of hundreds whose profiles have been blocked by the social network

'Not enough': The group rebuffed Facebook's offer of a two-week 'grace period' in which they can 'adjust' their profiles to display their real names or convert their personal profiles into fan pages which cost money

They warned a fake name protects them from retribution from employers, family members or stalkers.

And for many, it signifies a major part of their identity.

Supervisor David Campos, who is representing the drag queens, told a news conference: 'If we're going to work together on this, we want acknowledgement that this policy is misguided.'

He was flanked by the movement's instigator, Sister Roma, and fellow cross dressers Heklina, Bebe Sweetbriar, and Lil Miss Hot Mess.

Heklina said: 'I have been Heklina for 20 years, and I have Facebook telling me Heklina does not exist. So they're basically wiping you out of existence.'

However, one prominent member of the community - RuPaul contestant Willam Belli - told MailOnline it is in vogue to use one's real name: 'All the best queens use their boy names anyway.

'It’s the largest f*** you out there to cross dress and still use a dude-ly moniker while being successful (Chad Michaels, RuPaul, Boy George, Charles Busch, Kevin Aviance, Me).'

Executives agreed to give the performers a 'grace period' of two weeks in which they can 'adjust' their profiles to display their real names or convert their personal profiles into fan pages, where nicknames are permissible.

Identity: The performers told a conference at San Francisco city hall the ban 'wipes them out of existence'

Just the start: The group Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will now start work on protests against the policy

However, Campos and the community blasted the reprieve and vowed to continue protesting.

Fan pages are also a poor substitute for a full profile because users need to pay for them, performers say.

'This is San Francisco. You're dealing with a bunch of drag queens,' said Sister Roma.

'Throwing together a rally and a demonstration is second nature to us.'