I've always thought that the biggest barrier blocking greater public acceptance of people like us is simple PR. It's always been this way with areas of discrimination. For decades, movies depicted African Americans as second class citizens while society's attitudes sadly concurred. Now the biggest box office star is Will Smith-- who's the epitome of cool.
Crossdressing has long been seen as a joke-- a great angle for a sitcom or movie story and always guaranteed to get laughs. One reason I've long fluctuated from maleness to femaleness to androgyny is that I've always wished to maintain a reasonable degree of dignity.
While fashion designers have used cross-gender runway gimmicks for decades, it seems to me that there is a growing acceptance for the feminized male look in the fashion scene. Several male models seem be making careers for themselves with looks ranging from the more femininely androgynous to simply feminine. Model Martin Cohn models womens wear alongside female models. Femininely featured Allen Roth would probably pass as a woman if he wished. Austrailan model Andrej Pejic has beautiful blond hair and supermodel features.
What I found most interesting in searching the we for these models is how attractive women writers find them. These models are not only being accepted, they're being desired. Maybe we can find a "cool" niche in society yet. What do you think?
Martin Cohn
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.modelinia.com%2F_content%2Fslideshows%2F265%2Fimages%2FOverland-RS10-0688.jpg&hash=5664449bac19f2fbc29b3bf5002576dcb1826c6f)
Allen Roth
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F_eoF6twKlWl0%2FSjj53XyK0rI%2FAAAAAAAATIo%2FqhlWJt3KXww%2Fs400%2Fallen5.jpg&hash=ad094f8edcee52fe2ea237049470e5a6b2d9bffb)
Andrej Pejic
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F_-tA4e1Inxj8%2FSp723OMnLfI%2FAAAAAAAAACg%2FEDr3u3lssE0%2Fs400%2FAndrej%2BPejic%2BII.jpg&hash=0f3455e47e31f5d9b8ae1cb8285748657bd0c0ca)
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chadwickmodels.com%2Fimages%2Flarge%2F1223963103.jpg&hash=16edb9760b96bebab65ec39af29d5087095de743)
Y'know, I wouldn't have thought so until very recently. Have you seen high school kids these days? The boys are more feminine than the women. I've even seen a few people, usually teens, who I know through a friend or whatever are straight but seem to be clearly cross dressing, and yet if you were to ask them they would definitely deny it.
I've also had three girlfriends who found the fact that I crossdress to be amazingly hot, but I still limited my dressing in their presence because I find it embarassing.
But yeah, I think that there's really a good chance of acceptance in the next decade.
Quote from: Lyric on October 10, 2009, 02:22:05 PM
What I found most interesting in searching the we for these models is how attractive women writers find them. These models are not only being accepted, they're being desired. Maybe we can find a "cool" niche in society yet. What do you think?
Yes. I also have thought about that.
There are some women who feel comfortable with me as I try to look feminine. They seem to think that my mind is as feminine as my appearance.
Unfortunately but occasionally, I get despised and discriminated by both men and women when I look feminine and they think I am a woman, especially when I drive a car. On the other hand, some men tend to be very kind when I try to park my car: they guide me in the back of my car.
On thing certain is that I look very striking among any crowd, attracting people's attention. Last Sunday I ran for a half-course marathon. I could easily hear bystanders there bet whether I am a man or a woman. Strangely, women tended to bet that I am a woman :)
Barbie~~
The other day, a friend of mine commented on how popular "emo" fashion is among male high-school students. I'm not into fashion, so I'm not sure what that means, apart from the striped pants I've been seeing...but I get the impression that the boys are more comfortable with looking "effeminate" than they used to be. Anyone care to comment? I don't even notice what my own college students are wearing, but I guess I'll start noticing.
Pretty sad for a gay man, eh? I don't do fashion, decorating, cooking, gardening, or shopping. Nerd, that's me.
Andrej Pejic = OMG WOW.
Anyways, I was thinking of this not long ago. I don't know why cosmetic companies don't open up a line of male cosmetics. It is all about PR like you say.
Until we start showing ourselves in public, we will never be accepted. As with all society changes it will take time, but we must stop hiding in the closet and become visible. Other cultures have males in skirt type garments, time for north america to open up to our desires. Bobbie Anne
Quote from: Dana Lane on October 12, 2009, 01:16:56 PM
Andrej Pejic = OMG WOW.
Anyways, I was thinking of this not long ago. I don't know why cosmetic companies don't open up a line of male cosmetics. It is all about PR like you say.
In the case of my country, male buyers are a new niche for comsmetic companies:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2908834 (http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2908834)
Although I wear women's jeans, it alone does attract people's attention so much, because many young men at 20s even wear pink jeans. To attract people's attention, I usually have to expose my arms and legs, even my back and belly in summer.
Some of my male colleagues wear colored foundation for men. Many men wear fish net nylon socks just to avoid athlete's foot. Many male bikers wear black tights.
Nevertheless, I look striking as I wear flat sandals for women and too tight jeans that few men ever can manage to put on :)
Barbie~~
Its interesting to observe the societal, emvironmental and cultural norms that govern the acceptability of wearing clothing of the opposite sex. Take the high street at night time, it is perfectly normal to see a non cd male or men dressed in womens clothing (though garish and quite grotesque)...though change the scene to daylight and the act becomes ridiculous and ..unlikely....the value is in the relevance of the taboo. Back in the eighties the fashion of new romanitisim saw boys experinmentign with makeup, styled hair, and exotic outifits, back in the sixties the modettes would be quite tomboyish or androgynous, and as been mentioned we see young goths and emos with big hair and "effeminate" styles of dress and behaviour.
I think it was in the 80's. In Hair Bands those guys wore more make up and eye liner in one night than I could wear in a year! The band AFI look preaty chick if you ask me!
http://www.straight-edge.net/bands/afi.jpg (http://www.straight-edge.net/bands/afi.jpg)
I find that some people have become more accepting of crossdressing. The fashion industry seems to be fertile ground for expressions not genereall accepted by society.
Gennee
:)