Articles tagged with "Feminist"

Often times in history our clothing has been used as a subtle means of communication. This entry from Encyclopedia.com uncovers the facts around fashion and homosexuality and how gay men and lesbians have used what they wear to not only give themselves a self-identity but to let others know their sexuality in times that were otherwise severely oppressive for them.

It's interesting to see that now, as men, we're borrowing from the same playbook as women used to protest the roles assigned to them by patriarchal societies. We're starting to realise that those same systems of oppression also negatively affect us too.

From the article:

"Male homosexuals continued to cross-dress in both public and private spaces throughout the nineteenth century. In the 1920s, the Harlem drag balls offered a safe space for gay men (and lesbians) to cross-dress. Similarly the Arts Balls of the 1950s in London offered an opportunity denied in everyday life. Cross-dressing performers, commonly known as drag queens, used women's clothes to parody straight society and create a gay humor."

"In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the adoption of male dress was a means for many women, including many lesbians, to protest the status of women and the roles assigned them by patriarchal societies."

"Popular figures, such as soccer player David Beckham, are avid consumers of clothes and even acknowledge their debt to gay men's influence on fashion."

Original URL: https://www.encyclopedia.com/fashion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/fashion-and-homosexuality

Mahamuda Rahman, Communications Officer at Cordaid gives us this perspective on Patriarchy in this interesting blog post.

Why a post about patriarchy? you might ask... because it's all part of a system of oppression that is bad for all of us and helps to maintain the status quo, including the gender stereotypes and social norms that we want to deconstruct.

"The truth behind this propaganda is that some people just love to keep their power and they invent these convenient dichotomies. There is nothing natural about it."

"In patriarchal societies and systems, men have been claiming for centuries that women are inferior to them. By nature."

Original URL: https://www.cordaid.org/en/news/we-are-all-victims-of-a-patriarchal-society/

This article from The World Bank highlights the importance of Gender Equality in relation to the Coronavirus pandemic. Many of the critical caregiving roles required during the pandemic are carried out by women, many of whom do not have gender parity with comparable roles carried out by men. The article underlines, once again that equality for women is a requirement for equality for everyone.

Original URL: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/opinion/2020/04/13/gender-equality-why-it-matters-especially-in-a-time-of-crisis

This article from Fashion North explores how social media is influencing behavior by men towards other men who break current social stereotypes by wearing items not normally associated to them. It highlights how Hollywood stars, such as @TheeBillyPorter are starting to challenge societies' model of male appearance, sexuality & behavior through fashion through their high profile social media presence. Others such as @TryGuys are presenting different ideas about what men can do and building a substantial following along with it!

Original URL: https://www.fashion-north.com/2019/03/12/the-role-of-male-fashion-and-social-media-in-ending-toxic-masculinity/