Issue 01
“Stop labelling and making a big deal out of it, differences are the creation of diversity in the world� Jack Betteridge
BOYS ARE PRETTY TOO Gender fluidity is an ever increasing debatable and often controversial topic, not only within the four walls of the fashion industry, but throughout culture, art, photography and everything surrounding us. So why is it that in 2017 we still neglect the preconceived sexual identity of men and hold prejudice towards those who stand in the androgynous shadows.
We are a society raised to believe that from a young age we have to assign ourselves to a gender category, sanctioned by the crowds that we live among. But who has the right to tell women that it is ok to ignore the tiresome expectations of being a ‘lady’, yet not give the same leeway to men? Why do we still teach young boys that they have to be strong and never show signs of weakness? Is it because we still believe that men are the leaders and protectors of society?
PRETTY BOYS DONT CARE
For many years,androgynous men have fought behind the crowd of feminism for freedom against gender binary. We have recently seen a change in the notion of masculinity, with Louis Vuitton featuring Jaden Smith in there womenswear SS16 ad. Jaden is known for speaking out about how he does not identify with gender and instead has said “I am not male or female, I am third gender”. He has often spoken out on social media platforms about wearing skirts and dresses. So does this put a strain on his sexuality, or can a man wearing a skirt eventually have the same acceptance as a woman wearing a tailored suit. We are seeing a new ‘breed’ of men emerging, they are taking conscious control of their identity and are not afraid to dismantle gender roles and experiment with gender fluidity. And although the ‘new butch’ might be considered a bit metro and gay, frankly they don’t care! Industry designer and avid fashion collector Jack Betteridge,who studies in the city of Newcastle, has spoken out about his connection to fashion and the often misconceptions surrounding stereotypes that are given to him by people. ‘Male’ and ‘female’ is one of those pointless categories. You should just do whatever the fuck you want. I’m not going to act how society thinks I should just because that makes everyone comfortable.”
In 2017, gender and sexuality is still something that people feel they need to take a stand on. Is it to prove a point? Is it to realise the anger of those who are still misunderstood? Jack has often been questioned on his sexuality but is still comfortable in his own genderless being and says , “People need to stop making such a big deal out of it (gender), stop labelling and certainly don’t attach gender to normal everyday things”. For as long as we can remember, connections to things such as sport, jobs, hobbies and even colour has been loosely associated with gender identity.
For as long as we can remember, connections to things such as sport, jobs, hobbies and even colour has been loosely associated with gender identity. Jack is a collector of streetwear, it is his own identity and something that allows him to express himself, maybe when words sometimes can’t. We know that there is curiosity stigmatised around men in skirts and dresses, but what about men in pink.
“Loads of guys wear pink, yeezy has brought about the pink vibe”, which we are now seeing as a trend wave in high street shops such as Topman. “Pink is masculine, without being harsh, I wear pink!” Jack has not only collected streetwear items, such as billionaire boys club jackets and supreme hoodies, he has also recently become a collector of Yeezy footwear as his idolisation for outspoken characters such as Kanye West continues. Collecting footwear is stereotypically presumed a feminine trait, and even if this is true, Jack knows and is proud to admit that his extensive shoe collection might be larger than the girls’ in his house share. He also believes that emotions are too restricted when you are a man. “Boys should be aloud to cry, showing your weakness should also reflect your strength, the fact that you are strong enough to show your vulnerability.” Lifting weights and wearing pink would definitely contrast with the ideals of masculinity, but is the building of a bulky body an insecure mask that protects men from the egotistical world of masculinity or is it purely done for enjoyment? “ If we didn’t truly care about people’s opinions of us, we wouldn’t obsess over body image and how we promote ourselves, people should be proud of how they look naturally, lifting weights and repping the gym should be done for personal enjoyment and wellbeing”. Whilst there is cultural movements that have changed throughout the decades, it is questionable that our curiosity with gender equality and sexuality in 2017 is just a trend. So do we as millennials think that a man’s fight for freedom from the shackles of gender binary is a fashion fad, or is it here to change the history of fashion and culture for generations to come? “ we all see so many young teenage kids walking around holding hands, and identifying at such a young age with gender and sequality, there is a fashionable trend of experimentation with sexuality, maybe this is just because we are now slowly becoming socially accepted to do so”. Society needs to stick up for this movement that men are fighting for. Let’s hope that this curiosity for gender freedom remains, and men don’t need to mask their identity behind the social expectations of masculinity anymore. “We need to stop being offended by the ways men are choosing to live their lives.”