Straight Guy,
This chalkboard was in front of a bar. "Male Bonding." Now that's how you get my attention.
So, what's the bar got up its sleeve? "Male Bonding": Name of a band? New drink? Live show?
Drat: Looks like its a band.
I'm out of the loop, but intrigued.
SG, you're still a hipster. Any intelligence on this one?
--Gay Guy
Straight Guy,
Interesting Washington Post article on scholarships for out athletes.
Most frightening place for gay high school athletes is the locker room. Don't have to be a jock for the locker room be no fun.
--Gay Guy
Gay Guy,
From the New York Times Fashion section, an article on the men who wear women's heels on the club scene. [A Tall Tale, but True: Men in Heels]
It doesn't get into their sexuality, but one of the trendsetters complains: "I literally look at girls and think, you have so many options. You have jumpers, you have skirts, you have dresses, you have pants, you have shorts. Boys have pants and shorts. Or suits and a shirt."
Wait. A lack of "jumpers" for men? Let's get right on that, garment industry.
I'm not heavy into the club scene right now (or ever), but it sounds pretty competitive, fashion wise. You do what you have to do to stand out. If that's a jumper and high heels, go for it. But don't get confused. It's not drag!
Another quote:
None of the men interviewed considered themselves to be in drag. “I always make it very clear that I am a man, and I’m not trying to portray an illusion to anybody,” Mr. Wagner said.
Though some would call it a form of drag, he added, “As far as we’re concerned, this is just bringing a look to a club — which is what you are supposed to do.”
I knew by the end of the first paragraph there there would soon be a comparison to Napoleon and 18th century French aristocracy as examples of the proud tradition of men and heels. And that the current wearers would try to claim that the added height was the primary benefit. Sorry, no points awarded on either count.
It's high fashion, where self-indulgence is required and form rules over function. Don't try to justify it. Own it. And then work it!
Yeah. There's some sarcasm here. But if I have a prejudice, it's against a club scene where folks, gay or straight, apparently have to go to great extreme and expense just to get noticed, because that's priority #1. I guess talking, drinking, and dancing are optional now.
I realize that I couldn't be more out of touch than I am with these guys. And that they couldn't care less about my thoughts on their size 13 stilettos.
Still, I will do my best to "bring a look" to work tomorrow. Probably something in the "function over form" category.
--Straight Guy
Straight guys still not interested. Her mutant superpowers and crime-fighting costume are impressive, though.
Via Dave Barry.
--Straight Guy
Gay Guy,
Check out Florida photographer Rion Sabean's Flickr stream for a project he's calling "Men-ups."
Obviously it's a commentary on gender, and the ridiculousness of the iconic Vargas style pin-up.
Or, maybe you think this is hot, too.
I think it's interesting and humorous. But I'm not ready to indict the visual norms he is trying to spoof and undermine. They work for a reason. It's often a thin line between seduction and objectification.
When Marilyn Monroe's skirt blows up, it's iconic in the same overly-stylized way. I didn't know until recently that the scene didn't even make it into the original release of "The Seven Year Itch." Too titillating for the time. But the image was simply too powerful to be ignored, and is now her most lasting visual. (Though this might take it too far.)
I guess my take is that visual objectification isn't going anywhere, and the best we can do is to be thoughtful about what it means and how we consume it. That's a big step for a straight guy, right?
Sabean is hoping to release these images in a 2012 calendar. I hope he does, and makes a ton of money.
--Straight Guy
Straight Guy,
We had quite a little buzz in my neighborhood over the weekend. Apparently there was a bomb scare at the corner Starbucks. The police wouldn't give out much/any information, but they evacuated some buildings and blocked off a five block radius around my building. It was kind of like a movie scene--they even had city buses parked sideways to block the streets and create a buffer.
In my neighborhood, we're very interested in "suspicious packages." Ahem.
You would think a sane person would say to himself, "Oh, a bomb threat within site of my front door. Hmmmm . . . perhaps I should 1) stay inside or 2) take the opportunity to get away for a while. But, no. Like a few dozen of my neighbors, I tried to get as close as possible to get the detail on the bomb-sniffing dogs and the bomb tech crew taking apart what looked like a computer bag.
Eventually it was "All clear." By that time, I had moved on my with my gay guy routine (ironing, Food Network, iron some more, Appletinis, ironing, etc.).
I feel sorry for the guy who left Starbucks, absentmindedly forgetting his bag. Or maybe he was in a rage because he'd been charged $8.59 for a pumpkin spice latte.
--Gay Guy
Straight Guy,
Take a read of this Washington Post article on "manly cities."
At 42 on a scale of 50 for manliness, guys in the nation's capital must be feel their Washington Monument shrinking.
Combos, maker of the ultimate Super Bowl snack bowl, ranked Washington's ample supply of cup cake shops among the factors that brought down the manly score. (I can't wait to tell my mom that it was probably her cup cakes that made me gay.)
Anyway, this sounds like a sweet/savory smack down.
What pushes up a city's macho measure? Professional sports teams, chicken wing restaurants and Western/cowboy apparel stores. Lordy.
Maybe this was an Onion article.
--Gay Guy
P.S.: A cupcake with "ganache" in its name is gay.
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