A01=Peter Hennen
Author_Peter Hennen
biker
categories
Category=JBSJ
community
conventional
crossdressing
cultural
culture
effeminacy
effeminate
eq_bestseller
eq_isMigrated=1
eq_isMigrated=2
eq_nobargain
eq_non-fiction
eq_society-politics
ethnographic
ethnography
fairy
gay
gender
glitter
hair
homage
homosexual
homosexuality
lgbtqia
male
masculine
men
niche
parody
psychology
queer
radical
roles
sex
sexuality
slang
stigma
subculture
taboo
underground
Product details
- ISBN 9780226327273
- Weight: 510g
- Dimensions: 16 x 24mm
- Publication Date: 01 Apr 2008
- Publisher: The University of Chicago Press
- Publication City/Country: US
- Product Form: Hardback
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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.
Peter Hennen is assistant professor of sociology at the Ohio State University at Newark.
