Why do gay men idolize female pop stars

Beyond the loud stanning and unwavering support, our fascination with female pop stars stems from the basic need to relate and to feel seen and understood. It’s something gay men have a difficult time sourcing in a heteronormative society. The pop star struggles to be taken seriously; it’s a very familiar sentiment experienced by queer people.

Pop stars of today are easily accessible through social media, and anyone with a twitter account can go fishing for attention from said pop stars. But back in the day, gay men still stanned female artists like Judy Garland and Barbara Streisand. During times when gay men couldn’t express ourselves the way we wanted, we sent these women out as our stand-ins, and they, in turn, paid homage to queer people who didn’t have the privilege.

This relationship—between gay men and the larger-than-life women of pop—is a phenomenon that transcends generations and cultures. From Cher to Madonna, Britney to Beyoncé, Kylie Minogue to Chappell Roan, pop divas and the queer community are inseparable. But why? Why do gay men worship pop divas, and why do these women, in turn, rely on the devotion of queer fans to sustain their careers?

%. A video essay on pop star activism, para-social relationships between female pop stars and their audience, and the rich history and relationship between queer men and pop divas (The Rainbow in the. I am wary of being too wary of analyzing the gay-icon phenomenon, because I think it has something to do with gender-bending and perhaps even wishful thinking on the part of gay men. Join the conversation You can post now and register later.

This would throw a curve ball to the notion that gay men iconize women because, historically, women have been marginalized. I wonder, if NFR was her debut album, would queer people have found it to be so relatable and iconic? There is still great material on the album but I think you're spot on with a sense of theatricality and camp that is in the first album. For being a familiar face and voice when I was having a horrible day.

How Gay Men Stan Divas to Reject the Patriarchy - Name 3 Songs

She wore high heels and fancy black dresses. Women who have been iconized by gay men are often hysterically funny too. Follow Us. WaitForLife Posted April 28, But what about me? Are we sure though? Professor Love went on to say that she feels that gay men gravitated to, for example, Joan Crawford because that is what gay men do -- "it is part of being a gay man" -- but I was left with more questions than answers.

She is a star with many gay fans -- I discovered on my 40th birthday, when I went to see her perform in Las Vegas, that she has a huge gay following -- but arguably, she's not quite a gay icon. Stalking you has sorta become like my occupation. To idolize a female pop star is nothing new for queer-identifying men. HuffPost Personal. It's just a buzz word the media uses for some articles and it diminishes the value of real allies like Gaga or Madonna.

Paste as plain text instead. I only partly agree. Neon Palmmm Posted April 28, That might be the starting and big factor. Followers 1. They shared their struggles, talents and tail-shaking bops with us. Every gay has his icon, and I am no different. Samantha from Bewitched was a favorite, though I secretly admired her delightfully meddling and wicked mother, Endora, the most!

Why do gay men love divas

The women often said to be icons are most certainly women who don't necessarily fit the script of femininity and sexual appeal within media culture. I don't choose someone because I'm gay or the singer stands behind it. Bobby Box.