The Fashionista
Gay men are often stereotyped as fashion-loving in many different ways. Advertisements of all kinds take this stereotype and use it to make clear that a man occurring in this advertisement is gay or to explain his behavior. This helps to continue and reinforce this stereotype. But to be able to talk about this, it is important to know what this stereotype means, where it comes from, how it is used and finally how we can deal with it. This article is an attempt to provide basic knowledge about this topic. First of all, it is important to make clear that this article focuses mainly on male homosexuality in Western cultures. However, if possible, inner functions of this stereotype will be mentioned as well. So what is the stereotype of a “fashion-loving gay men” and what does it mean? It is almost impossible to define and in many cases, scientific research is out of reach or simply non-existent. So this article will be founded on a clue-based idea from written sources and personal experiences which describe this stereotype. The focus will be on men who care a lot about their clothing and distinguish themselves by a more flamboyant style from non-homosexuals. It will exclude the image of gay people who work in fashion-related jobs because this might extend the scale of this article to an insupportable point. Lesbians are described by different stereotypes, which won't be discussed here. |
Stereotypes don't appear randomly in societies. They have their roots in some events and are constructed and reconstructed from there on. Especially in cases like this, where the stereotype doesn't seem to be negative, it is important to know where its origins lie, why they emerged like this and finally: what they are used for. But there is no certain way to explain, where this stereotype comes from. We are confronted with a rare amount of sources. Nevertheless, some parts can be explained by using these sources as a sort of puzzle. Now two of the central functions will be described:
The first and the best known is the story that begins with Oscar Wilde. In the time, when he created his poetry, at the end of the 19th century, stories about homosexuality were told by medical scientists, religious authorities and the government (Demory and Pullen 2016, 51). Almost all of them where scientifically wrong and ignored basic human rights. So in this time it was very hard to be homosexual, like Oscar Wilde. The big change, we have to focus our attention on, is the difference between saying “being homosexual” and “being a homosexual”. The first is an attribute and the second an identity. This is what we have to talk about because a stereotype is always based on an identity and this identity can only be created by people, whether it identifies themselves or others. So now we can tell the story how Oscar Wilde's image was created as the identity of homosexual men. During the period of Oscar Wilde's life, there was a lack of a personal social identity for non-heterosexuals (Demory and Pullen 2016, 51), which was outside the description of the great authorities (science, religion and politics). But David Gauntlett says about homosexuals: “it was precisely the discourses about sexuality, in Victorian times and the early twentieth century which sought to suppress certain kinds of behavior, which simultaneously gave an identity to them, and so (ironically) launched them into the public eye.” (Demory and Pullen 2016, 52). This explains the enormous public interest on Oscar Wilde's trails about “sodomy”: Oscar Wilde was always very present in the media and this meant furthermore a choc to the public who detested Wilde's “gross-indecency”. Finally, this trail lead to the creation of an identity of the homosexual in the society based on Oscar Wilde image in the newspapers or as Foucault said:
The first and the best known is the story that begins with Oscar Wilde. In the time, when he created his poetry, at the end of the 19th century, stories about homosexuality were told by medical scientists, religious authorities and the government (Demory and Pullen 2016, 51). Almost all of them where scientifically wrong and ignored basic human rights. So in this time it was very hard to be homosexual, like Oscar Wilde. The big change, we have to focus our attention on, is the difference between saying “being homosexual” and “being a homosexual”. The first is an attribute and the second an identity. This is what we have to talk about because a stereotype is always based on an identity and this identity can only be created by people, whether it identifies themselves or others. So now we can tell the story how Oscar Wilde's image was created as the identity of homosexual men. During the period of Oscar Wilde's life, there was a lack of a personal social identity for non-heterosexuals (Demory and Pullen 2016, 51), which was outside the description of the great authorities (science, religion and politics). But David Gauntlett says about homosexuals: “it was precisely the discourses about sexuality, in Victorian times and the early twentieth century which sought to suppress certain kinds of behavior, which simultaneously gave an identity to them, and so (ironically) launched them into the public eye.” (Demory and Pullen 2016, 52). This explains the enormous public interest on Oscar Wilde's trails about “sodomy”: Oscar Wilde was always very present in the media and this meant furthermore a choc to the public who detested Wilde's “gross-indecency”. Finally, this trail lead to the creation of an identity of the homosexual in the society based on Oscar Wilde image in the newspapers or as Foucault said:
“The nineteenth-century homosexual became a personage, a past, a case history, and a childhood, in addition to a type of life, a life form and morphology, with an indiscreet anatomy and possibly a mysterious physiology. The sodomite had been a temporary aberration, the homosexual was now a species“
(Demory and Pullen 2016, 51).
But what does this image consist on? Alan Sinfield described: “effeminacy, leisure, idleness, immorality, luxury, insouciance, decadence and aestheticism” (Demory and Pullen 2016, 52). It is important to remember that Wilde was and has been seen as dandy. In addition or combination to the preceding adjectives, the dandy is distinctive by his elaborated and chic fashion and the huge amount of time he uses get dressed up. In contrast to the normative society, it couldn't be harsher during this time of the “great masculine renunciation” on exaggerated clothing in favor of all sorts of decent black, gray or blue suits which started with the 19th century. Since the trail, the image of Oscar Wilde has been the negative stereotype of the homosexual in the main parts of society, in some of them even until now. But for homosexuals he was a fighter for their rights and a shimmering example for them who had none. Especially in the 1960s, his literature became once again famous and the Oscar Wilde bookshop opened for example. So his way of appreciating fashion was used here as a positive stereotype.
(Demory and Pullen 2016, 51).
But what does this image consist on? Alan Sinfield described: “effeminacy, leisure, idleness, immorality, luxury, insouciance, decadence and aestheticism” (Demory and Pullen 2016, 52). It is important to remember that Wilde was and has been seen as dandy. In addition or combination to the preceding adjectives, the dandy is distinctive by his elaborated and chic fashion and the huge amount of time he uses get dressed up. In contrast to the normative society, it couldn't be harsher during this time of the “great masculine renunciation” on exaggerated clothing in favor of all sorts of decent black, gray or blue suits which started with the 19th century. Since the trail, the image of Oscar Wilde has been the negative stereotype of the homosexual in the main parts of society, in some of them even until now. But for homosexuals he was a fighter for their rights and a shimmering example for them who had none. Especially in the 1960s, his literature became once again famous and the Oscar Wilde bookshop opened for example. So his way of appreciating fashion was used here as a positive stereotype.
The second part of the explanation adds some aspects to the origins of the stereotype of the “fashionista” and describes the identity-creating aspect of fashion. Therefore, it is important to present a probable explanation of the development of homosexual identity. The focus is upon the identities created by homosexuals themselves. First, there is the “classical” homosexual identity, which was leading between 1870 and the 1940s, saying same-sex desire is an expression of the inner nature of someone. Being the natural core of somebody's being, same-sex desire isn't punishable and needs therefore same rights and same recognition as heterosexuals. This identity spreads all over the North-Western world. In the end of the 1940s, the “homophilia” reached the focus, saying that same-sex desire is love-based and not only focused on pure sexual pleasure and passion but that it would finally search for couple relations. Since the 1960s lesbian and gay identity started to get popular, now with a more revolutionary concept, not asking for respect anymore, but emphasizing difference and the alternative to normative mainstream lifestyle, trying to be more lustful, loving and less suppressing. Finally beginning in the 1990s the queer identity raised in the US, constructing a harsh opposition to the straight identity. But in other places, where homosexuality gained more acceptances and the idea of a family is not narrow and restrictive, like in the big cities of Denmark or the Netherlands, people remarked a disappearance of the homosexual identities in favor of individual identities. But this image is not yet dominating. However, why is this identity this important for “the fashionista”? It is necessary to find a way to create and express this identity. One of the likeliest ways is clothing. Here we have to take a look at Roland Barthes, who defined “clothing as a language-like institution form which individual styles are differentiated as parole”. So it can be used to create a series of signs that become useful for (sub)cultures to communicate through it. This is especially useful and even lifesaving when this subculture is forced to hide from legal (lawful) or social persecution. “Gays and lesbians have learned indeed to speak about their sexuality by not naming it directly but through their clothing, style and behavioral signifiers” (Vänskä 2014, 451).
Throughout history, there were many ways to express homosexuality through clothing, even before the creation of a gay identity by the end of the 19th century, which also means that these types of clothing don't speak definitely of homosexuality. Examples are the British fop (below, right side), cross-dressing mollies (right side) and the androgynous macaroni (below, left side). The meaning of the dandy has already been described with Oscar Wilde. An important aspect that follows the concept of the dandy is the lesbian “garconne look”, which emerged in the 1920s and meant a specific masculine, Marlene Dietrich-like look to communicate with other lesbians. During the time of more integration-focused identities, more decent clothes were used, like the recommendation of the Mattachine society in the 1950s and early 1960s, to wear suits as men and skirts as women, when demonstrating.
The avoidance of persecution in these times has always to be mentioned. This changed with the gay and lesbian liberation movement. Although the dandy-acting-type had never disappeared, but as Vänskä says: “The visibly different homosexual is undoubtedly an important landmark in the history of the gay and lesbian liberation movement's identity politics in the 1970s” (Vänskä 2014, 451).
The avoidance of persecution in these times has always to be mentioned. This changed with the gay and lesbian liberation movement. Although the dandy-acting-type had never disappeared, but as Vänskä says: “The visibly different homosexual is undoubtedly an important landmark in the history of the gay and lesbian liberation movement's identity politics in the 1970s” (Vänskä 2014, 451).
From now on definite gay styles, like the Castro Street Clone emerged and spread all over the world. Concluding we can say, that someone, who wants to show his difference to others, can use fashion to do this. Homosexuals did it and seem to have put enough emphasis on it to be stereotyped as fashion-loving. With an emergence of real inclusion of homosexuals in open-minded societies that don't care about a homosexual identity, this stereotype might disappear because it loses completely its unsound foundation. But it is way more complicated than this text might suggest. Of course it is known, that not everyone fits into stereotypes and we have to take care of it. The results presented in this text can help us doing that but aren't final and will be hopefully improved soon.
Last but not least, it is important to ask, how this stereotype is used. The same way people are too different to fit into this stereotype, the use of this stereotype is too fluid to be described in one way. Same as the stereotype was first meant to be negative, this negativity is still used, like for this bourbon ad (1). But in the opposite way, the liberating aspect of fashion can be used, like in the Ray-Ban ad (2). The poster of Dolce and Gabbana isn't playing with the stereotype in their theme, but is playing with the idea that spectators of this ad that are gay might be even more attracted because they are likely to love fashion (3). And finally there is this American Apparel poster that doesn't show the lesbians and gays dressed differently compared to the other ads and therefore doesn't use this stereotype at all (4). Might this be the future?
Let´s hope it will because there are even more features to take care of, such as the dangers of positive stereotyping. American psychologists showed evidence that stereotypes are dangerous for people that don't fit in the stereotype because they create a pressure to be different from the others which can cause psychic disorders (Lusher 2016).
Vänskä reminds us of an important issue: “queer fashion is a performativity, something that does gender and sexuality instead of reflecting a fixed homosexual identity underneath clothing.” (Vänskä 2014, 458) This brings us to the conclusion of the text: It is important to know the history, the origins, the intentions and the functions of and behind stereotypes and every other aspect of life, such as identity or fashion, to be able to use them as tools to create or to deconstruct intellectual concepts.
Use them to create a better world.
Let´s hope it will because there are even more features to take care of, such as the dangers of positive stereotyping. American psychologists showed evidence that stereotypes are dangerous for people that don't fit in the stereotype because they create a pressure to be different from the others which can cause psychic disorders (Lusher 2016).
Vänskä reminds us of an important issue: “queer fashion is a performativity, something that does gender and sexuality instead of reflecting a fixed homosexual identity underneath clothing.” (Vänskä 2014, 458) This brings us to the conclusion of the text: It is important to know the history, the origins, the intentions and the functions of and behind stereotypes and every other aspect of life, such as identity or fashion, to be able to use them as tools to create or to deconstruct intellectual concepts.
Use them to create a better world.
Sources:
P. Demory, Christopher Pullen: Gay Identity, New Storytelling and The Media, Palgrave Macmillan, 2016.
Annamari Vänskä: Fashion Theory, Volume 18, Issue 4, pp. 447-464, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014.
Adam Lusher: Stereotyping gay men as stylish and witty “prevents people seeing them as proper individuals”, Independent, 8.Febuary 2016: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/stereotyping-gay-men-as-stylish-and-witty-prevents-people-seeing-them-as-proper-individuals-a6861296.html (17.06.2016).
Henning Bech: Posthomosexuelles Happy End?, taz, 4.March 2000: <http://www.taz.de/1/archiv/?dig=2000/03/04/a0284>(17.06.2016).
1. http://www.outinperth.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Cougar.jpg
2. http://cdn-n.luerzersarchive.com/archive/_cache/_245230_5_0d46c5b4b9b94a47d5831505c 5b393ac.png
3. http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/dolce-gabbana-ads-570x427.jpg
4. http://cdn.pinknews.co.uk/images/2015/10/american-apparel-ad-dc-kiss-300807 _640x345_acf_cropped3.jpg
P. Demory, Christopher Pullen: Gay Identity, New Storytelling and The Media, Palgrave Macmillan, 2016.
Annamari Vänskä: Fashion Theory, Volume 18, Issue 4, pp. 447-464, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014.
Adam Lusher: Stereotyping gay men as stylish and witty “prevents people seeing them as proper individuals”, Independent, 8.Febuary 2016: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/stereotyping-gay-men-as-stylish-and-witty-prevents-people-seeing-them-as-proper-individuals-a6861296.html (17.06.2016).
Henning Bech: Posthomosexuelles Happy End?, taz, 4.March 2000: <http://www.taz.de/1/archiv/?dig=2000/03/04/a0284>(17.06.2016).
1. http://www.outinperth.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Cougar.jpg
2. http://cdn-n.luerzersarchive.com/archive/_cache/_245230_5_0d46c5b4b9b94a47d5831505c 5b393ac.png
3. http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/dolce-gabbana-ads-570x427.jpg
4. http://cdn.pinknews.co.uk/images/2015/10/american-apparel-ad-dc-kiss-300807 _640x345_acf_cropped3.jpg