Liked the article.As a person that was born with two types of gender characteristics and having been "fixed", it is no secret that we are conditioned to act a certain way. Even knowing, feeling, and being something different doesn't change how we must act to fit in, or how we eventually become what other want us to be. I never felt the need to go over the top super feminine drag queen. I never hated my penis or my body for looking mostly male. I have however felt trapped by needing to be emotionally and physically strong all the time, with out showing weakness. Not allowed to express any feminine traits, even the subtle ones that are natural to me. I guess that's why chastity and giving up control interests me. Opening myself up to another...letting them see who's inside, and the magic of that person loving the real you. Nice read.
I was a bit shocked when I first saw Grayson on tv. Not because he was a transvestite but because of how he presented himself so directly. The article reminds me of why I now occasionally cross dress. It was when we were shopping and I complained that men's clothing was so boring and women got to wear all the nice clothes. I started pointing out how many couples you see where the woman looks like she has put a lot of effort into her clothes and the man just looks scruffy. Elle has really enjoyed helping me bring this feminine side of me out and we are going to explore it more in the future. It isn't sissification or even transvestism, just an enjoyment of how I feel when I am not in the normal man uniform of jeans and a tshirt.
So this guy grew up with an absent father and an abusive step father. No wonder he didnt know what being a man was all about. Yes men are usually raised to be tough. Is there something wrong with guys being tough? Being masculine? Someone has to be, right? Kids are tough on each other growing up so I see nothing wrong with raising my two boys to be able to deal with those situations, and on top of that, the much tougher things to come in adulthood. Now obviously I'm not raising them to be assholes, you can be tough on the outside but a gentleman also . I think its laughable at the end when he says appearing gay might be the new definition of masculine. PLEASE. Do women really want men who appear gay? Is that a turn on to them? I bet if you did a poll you find out that women dont want that at all. At least the large majority of women want guys to be guys, tough, masculine, and a gentleman.
A very good extract from his recent book, thank you for drawing our attention to it. Some will obviously find it quite challenging and may not even be able to consider reading an article by such a creative "deviant". He has also done some programmes on Channel 4 on this subject http://www.channel4.com/programmes/grayson-perry-all-man - not a dress in sight! He did an interesting and wider ranging interview in The Times on the same day. No point linking as it is a pay site. C
His book title refers to men in general but he then writes mainly about himself.Even if many identify with him,he's just one man and,by all accounts,not a typical one.
So gay men can't be tough, masculine and a gentleman? (As well as a gentle man, possibly). There's something to discuss! LOL Grayson Perry is a very diverse, creative and challenging character as he tries to show in that extract and on his television programmes. Challenging men to look at themselves and see that there may be more to being a man than the things you describe. And really, to dress as he does at times takes some balls
No they absolutely can. In fact I'm a big fan of Milo Yiannopoulos. I think he fits that description very well. What I am opposed to is people telling straight men we arent "gay" enough, or accepting of gays. I think most people, myself included, are very accepting of gays. We just dont celebrate it like they do. I also dont like it being forced on me everywhere I turn, TV, Movies. The media tries its damnest to make being gay so mainstream, yet its not. They only make up about 3% of the population.