Wednesday, August 24, 2005

The Metrosexual: An Image/Lifestyle Created By Advertising Agencies To Promote More Expensive Product Lines to Men

Our bible on the subject, the September, 2005 issue of Details, says that the metrosexual revolution is pure exploitation.

It says that the so called metrosexual revolution created the illusion of enlightmnet about the fluidity of human sexuality, but it's mostly about stylish straight guys acting more macho than ever.

This metrosexual identity or gay vague, the writer, Simon Dumenco, goes on to say, amounts to a suble form of homophobia. This new homophobia creates language and subtext to pointedly redefine what's acceptable for straide dues while simultaneously keeping gay men safely on the other side. So straight guys who follow this principle are being led to be gayer in terms of their toys and fashion without turning queer. How divine!!!

Simon points out that this "revolution" began in the late eighties with Calvin Klein underwear's campaign putting up billboards of hot men in bulging tighty-whiteys to define sexuality. This continues today. A feature on the TV show, Sunday Morning, this past Sunday quoted the President and Founder of 2xist men's underwear to swear that sexuality is what sells his underwear. No kidding.

Gay guys have become icons of fashion style because they dare to try new things and have the disposible income to explore their fetish. But this style goes only so far. It has to be bankable to the masses of straight men without appearing too gay. So marketers created a new market, that expanded upon their language to attract women and gay men, to lure straight guys to start acting more feminine/gay to push product.

So these metrosexuals, who are mostly in love with themselves and no one else, seek to hold on to their "manhood" at the same time behaving both "girly" and macho in their desires. Sounds pretty mixed up to me. The author even goes as far to say that pop lyrics are being transformed to cater to the metrosexual young man who loves his manicure and pedicure, who wants to be "fed" by his woman, blah, blah. Gag me with a spoon.

If you are standing in line at a store or happen to be by a newstand, check this issue out. The photo on the opposite page is a treasure. It has these hot gay leathermen surrounding this guy in a suit and tie. I guess the metrosexual guy wants to relate, but in a butch way, without giving up the pleasures and pampering of life.

This hogwash leads me to believe that Madison Avenue advertisers will do just about anything to sell their client's products. So enjoy the metrosexual revolution while it lasts. We all know who the real men are. We don't have to pretend to be anything but ourselves. And that's cool in my book.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hmmm, not hugely impressed with this metrosexual crap. Some guys are so far up their own arses it's unreal. I feel almost like I'm being left behind, cos I don't really dress particularly flamboyantly or take extra extra special care of my appearance. I just get on with life!

And that picture you're on about sounds like just my cup of tea...

cola boy said...

It all seems to come down to the advertisers and product makers wanting to make more money. In a few years the term "metrosexual" will have faded from public view, only to appear as a question in the new edition of Trivial Pursuit.