The representation of gay men and the subversion of hegemonic modes of masculinity in Attitude
1 - Textual analysis
- What representations of masculinity are constructed in this front cover? Make explicit reference to the toolkit for textual analysis.
- To what extent does this cover subvert hegemonic representations of masculinity?
- How is anchorage provided by the cover lines of the magazine cover?
- How does the print version of Attitude demonstrate digital convergence?
2 - Discussion: representations of masculinity
“Stereotypes tell us men are strong and emotionless, women meek and emotional. And to place value on the physical difference between male and female is to say our place on this planet is dictated by our breeding potential. It’s why LGBT+ rights have always stood on the side of challenging gender stereotypes, and why I get angry when gay men show misogyny.
Gender division is the most violent thing to ever happen to humanity. It’s suppressed the voices of millions of queer and gay people for millennia. Anybody who challenged the binary was silenced, often violently: from the concentration camps of Nazi Germany, to the recent purge of LGBT+ people in Chechnya, and barbaric Islamic State executions.
Encouraging outdated ideas of masculine/feminine is buying into the ideals of murderers who believe that a man loving another man should be punishable by death. To them, gay love is unnatural and against God. Male dominance is born of violence and oppression, not anything remotely biological or "natural." What many understand as masculinity is too often a regressive by-product of this desire to dominate. Maybe we should aspire to be matriarchal by nature, like elephants, bees and ants.
All this is why I have, on occasion, donned a wig and thrown on a dress for a mad night out with my sistas. It’s why drag is so powerful; it’s not about men ridiculing women, it’s about men undermining the oppressiveness of masculinity.
I’d love to do away with all the labels and expectations of how a man should act and dress. Imagine having a conversation with another gay man and not worrying if they think you’re masc enough, or if that straight guy is judging the way you talk... This is the root of my frustration with the idea of gender differences. You see, I despise what men have done to this plan" - Cliff Joannou - Editor in Chief of Attitude magazine
