Faeries, bears, and leathermen : men in community queering the masculine / Peter Hennen.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hennen, Peter.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Gay men--Psychology.

Gay men.

Male homosexuality.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (254 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 2008.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Over time, male homosexuality and effeminacy have become indelibly associated, sometimes even synonymous. In Faeries, Bears, and Leathermen, Peter Hennen contends that this stigma of effeminacy exerts a powerful influence on gay subcultures. Through a comparative ethnographic analysis of three communities, Hennen explores the surprising ways that conventional masculinity is being collectively challenged, subverted, or perpetuated in contemporary gay male culture. Hennen's colorful study focuses on a trio of groups: the Radical Faeries, who parody effeminacy by playfully embracing it, donning prom dresses and glitter; the Bears, who strive to appear like "regular guys" and celebrate their larger, hairier bodies; and the Leathermen, who emulate hypermasculine biker culture, simultaneously paying homage to and undermining notions of manliness. Along with a historical analysis of the association between effeminacy and homosexuality, Hennen examines how this connection affects the groups' sexual practices. Ultimately, he argues, while all three groups adopt innovative approaches to gender issues and sexual pleasure, masculine norms continue to constrain members of each community.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Acknowledgments

1. In Their Natures: Gay Men, Queer Men, and Gendered Strategies of Resistance

2. Girlymen: Cultural and Historical Perspectives on Effeminacy

3. Fae Spirits and Gender Trouble: Resistance and Compliance among the Radical Faeries

4. Bear Bodies, Bear Masculinity: Recuperation, Resistance, or Retreat?

5. Feeling a Bit under the Leather: Hypermasculinity, Performativity, and the Specter of Starched Chiffon

6. Fielding Questions, Fielding Possibilities

Notes

References

Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 219-233) and index.

ISBN:

9786611957131

9781281957139

1281957135

9780226327297

0226327299

OCLC:

309849541