Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Ewan McGregor in Velvet Goldmine
The other night, I watched the movie Velvet Goldmine again and it got me thinking about how much I like an androgynous man. Velvet Goldmine hearkens back to the days of Glam Rock and features hot men like Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Ewan McGregor and Christian Bale in make up. Ironically, Eddie Izzard is one of the few stars in the movie not wearing make up.
I began to notice men in the 1970’s, when rock stars like David Bowie, Marc Bolan and the New York Dolls were popular. It was the days of men with long hair, glitter eye shadow and tarty lipstick wearing flashy clothes and it made a big impression on me. These men with their blatant gender bending were so much sexier than the average Jock type to me. They were rebelling against the traditional male uniform. They were bravely flouting convention in an in your face way that was hard for me to resist. You see, I also have a rebellious spirit and a keen fashion sense and I related to these men, who I saw as so much more manly than the Jocks or the Suits. These men were breaking new ground, they were leaders. They were the new Alpha Male in all of their peacock feathered splendor.
Marc Bolan of T Rex
The New York Dolls
David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust
Then there was Tim Curry in the Rocky Horror pictures show licking his shiny red lips with a naughty, mischievous glint in his eye and singing “Give yourself over to absolute pleasure”. It didn’t matter that he was into both women and men, in fact that was a large part of the lure for me. He was unabashedly crashing through sexual boundaries.
Tim Curry in the Rocky Horror Picture Show
Since those days there have been very few examples of in your face male androgyny. In the 1980’s, Prince filled that role. At once, both masculine, feminine and oozing sex from every pore, Prince was my fantasy in those days.
Prince, from the Lovesexy Album cover
In the 1990’s Marilyn Manson took androgyny to a much darker and more Gothic place with his flawlessly painted face and very masculine voice. he merged male and female into one hot package.
Marilyn Manson
Currently, the most famous example is the aforementioned Eddie Izzard who has been quoted as saying, “Women wear what they want and so do I”. That attitude is irresistible to me.
Eddie Izzard, in all his glory.
Androgyny isn’t just dressing in drag. It’s a mindset. It’s a lifestyle. It’s sexy as hell.
You’re an odd duck, that’s for sure. ;~)
I can’t relate. I’m just homophobic enough that I worry about men in drag whenever I’m talking to a woman with any masculine qualities. (And sometimes when she doesn’t)
I have a friend who went home with a man in drag. His grip on reality hinges on the belief that none of us know that was a man…
I’m afraid of what might happen if either of the two of us who know ever let it slip.
Androgyny rocks! I dislike pantomime style drag though where men dress as cartoon caricatures of women. But men who naturally look quite feminine and aren’t afraid to express or even emphasise that aspect of themselves are sexy as hell.
Good point.
yesss! Dr Frank!
Reblogged this on Feeling Good About Feminism and commented:
While this may not strike some as feminist if focused on from one perspective, (men claiming femininity as masculine… what will they think of next?) if focused on from another perspective (a woman writing about an oft-times taboo topic- the appeal of androgyny and showing her comfort with the topic) it works. Rock on. We women can like what we like and who we like. Thanks windupmyskirt! You have a great blog.
Not really into the whole drag theme, but i do love wearing lingerie. Would love to chat to other women who like men in wearing lingerie.
I am very much into androgynous men like you are. Its cool to see someone like me! I wonder if you are bisexual too?