TheLastManInAmerica

I don’t have any problems with gays; homosexuality is a natural thing that doesn’t bother me and to judge someone because they’re gay is the same as judging someone because of their skin. What I do have a problem with is fashion and its ability to stifle the individual. And one continuing fad that irks me above all others is the “Cool to Look Queer” fad. Otherwise known as “Metrosexual,” the trend focuses on being more fashion conscious and paying more attention to wardrobe and personal grooming, under the guise of getting in touch with one’s feminine side. But in actuality, it is a marketing ploy to get people out and shopping. And now it is going even further with celebrities pushing the envelope into realm of Man Makeup. To each his own, but are you serious?! There’s a word for this and it’s called “Transvestite.” And to all the women who find this style attractive, because no man would do it if women didn’t find it attractive, are you gay yourself or just looking for a male shopping partner?

            My first encounter with a Metro was when was during my first semester of college when I was seventeen. There was a guy in my math class who worked at Nordstrom and he was obviously another trendy city kid. I was not aware of the extent of his trendiness until he declared his penchant for women’s jeans. This was at the height of the Metrosexual craze with shows like “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” and “Boy Meets Boy.” From there it spiraled out of control with more and more men dressing in a more feminine manner and getting manicures and pedicures; they flocked to stores, staying up-to-date with the latest fashions and hair care products.

            Now it is going to the extreme and bordering on cross-dressing, as some cosmetics are now being marketed exclusively to men. It used to be some guys would paint their fingernails…whatever. But now products like “Guyliner,” an eyeliner made for guys if you are too dumb get the idea, are being made popular by celebrities. But the real icing on the cake, or should I say face, is “Mancake,” a foundation for men. Now it’s one thing to pay a little more attention to the way you dress but c’mon! What’s next, are guys going to start wearing panty liners to protect their underwear from skidmarks? I mean just step out of the closet already!

            Now I grew up idolizing Kurt Cobain who, on more than just a couple of occasions, would wear women’s clothes. And I thought it was awesome, even as a kid. I knew it was being done for shock value because he wanted to get a rise out of people like the type of small-minded folks he grew up around in Aberdeen. And even so, it wasn’t a secret that he was confused about his sexuality growing up and possibly in his adult life. But this is different because guys today do it to look pretty. Maybe I’m just not up with the progressive nature of society but are men supposed to be pretty? Now there’s nothing wrong with having a soft side but don’t women want men to be men?

            Speaking of which, you may think about girls who are considered “Tomboys” and ask, “Are they supposed to conform to standards and dress up and put on makeup?” Of course not, women are naturally beautiful and many, like my girlfriend, don’t need makeup to make themselves look pretty. Not only that but some clothes, like jeans, which were originally designed for men, accentuate the female figure better than dresses.

 But these men, like many women, have a tendency to slim themselves down to waif-like proportions so they can fit into smaller and smaller jeans. And it makes me wonder if some women like this because they see in the men a member of the opposite sex who they can interact with like one of their girlfriends. And if that’s the case, maybe these women, along with the men, need to make a drastic reappraisal of their sexual orientation.