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The figure at the right hand of Jesus is not the apostle John, but Mary Magdalene.  (see DaVinci's Last Supper below) Mary Magdalene was the wife of Jesus Christ and was pregnant with his child at the time of his crucifixion. The absence of a chalice in the painting supposedly indicates that Leonardo knew that Mary Magdalene was actually the Holy Grail (the bearer of Jesus' blood). This is said to be reinforced by the letter "M" that is created with the bodily positions of Jesus, Mary, and the male apostle (Saint Peter) upon whom she is leaning.

In DaVinci's painting the effeminate figure to the left of Jesus is not Mary Magdalene, but the apostle John. Why does the figure look like a woman? There have always been certain conventions in portraying biblical figures in western art. The young St John is typically portrayed as young, clean shaven, and 'of angelic countenance'. (for example, St. John at Patmos by Hans Baldung Grien) Some artists, in trying to capture an angelic appearance, simply made him look effeminate.

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Hans Baldung Grien