Androgyny in men and women: human nature or fashion?
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Androgyny is the fusion of feminine and masculine traits in one image. A classic of modern pop culture — Marilyn Manson. Not the best example, is it? But he went down in music history. In the early 2000s, models of both sexes adorned their contemporaries. Popular images conveyed a complete rejection of feminine qualities, a generation lost weight, and eating disorders flourished.
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In our time, another aspect of hermaphroditism has appeared. Namely: sophisticated young men who do not want to play sports at all, and girls who have long gone beyond the limits and are manically building muscle mass for the sake of health. By the way, both options are standard. Hermaphroditism is a more cultural phenomenon.
Androgyny in history
Where did the idea come from that one person can combine both masculine and feminine principles? Hermaphroditism has been popular throughout human history. The world learned about this when ancient Greek tragedies appeared. Yes, the beautiful Artemis and the sophisticated Aphrodite were played by ordinary Greek youths. They were often kept by wealthy Greeks.
For many, homosexuality was combined with a corresponding desire for appearance. A little later, a hidden struggle for women”s equality began. Do you want to travel? Put on men”s armor and pretend to be a man. If you don”t do this, you won”t succeed. You will not be able to pass through the castle gates.
Then things got even more interesting. Girls wanted to study, work and be part of society. And they could only become mistresses, wives and, well, in extreme cases, theater actresses and ballerinas. But this did not cause much enthusiasm. Only if their husbands died happily, their brothers died in war, and their sons were still children and could not yet inherit, could they gain “status” in the feudal hierarchy.
Androgyny has moved into science and art.
- Scientific works were published under male pseudonyms.
- Works of art were also on display.
- It was easier for men to write books.
At the beginning of the 20th century, bisexuality gradually acquired a sexual dimension and became deeply embedded in the culture of the era of decline. Sophisticated women in men”s suits, with short haircuts, bowler hats and cigarettes with a holder also disappeared forever from the history of fashion.
Androgyny in fashion
Fashion does not use this concept. She is unisex. It is generally accepted that unisex is an invention of the early nineties of the last century, but this is not so. By the way, the first images of “à la garçon” appeared in the twenties of the 20th century, when the short bob haircut for women became widespread. Women wearing men”s suits, coats and flat shoes can be seen in early films, as are the daggers of the time. It”s a bit of a cross-dressing story, though.
Currently, fashion for men”s suits is appearing more and more often. However, the image of the “boy” is a relic of the early 90s. In particular, the end of the 80s. Remember the immortal series “Wild Rose” and the outfits of the heroines? Many girls dressed like this in the early 90s. Oversized sweatshirts, baseball caps with visors and jeans are not “wants”, but something you can find or borrow from your brother. Sneakers became that greatness. Through it all, the girls remained girls. They did not try to build strong homosexual relationships and did not present themselves as “fighters for rights.”
Unisex clothing was simply convenient for large families, where everyone annoyed everyone else and almost every person could be seen. At the same time, feminist slogans penetrated pop culture, girls became who they wanted to be, and not “dolls” in beautiful clothes.
Why don”t they want to look like women?
Androgenicity as a phenomenon of mass culture came to us in the model aesthetics of 2000. Today such models are already a rarity, but in those days very thin girls without breasts, butts and hips reigned in magazines. Residents called them “hangers-on” and young girls wanted to be like them.
Read also: Why do women behave like men? Orientation or modern norm?
I was far from my contemporaries when I came up with the idea of stopping a galloping horse. So why don”t girls, like men, just today.
By the way, the cult of extreme thinness has not disappeared in our country. Indeed, they can no longer be called modern thin women. Instead of a small layer of fat, which is very natural for a woman”s body, they “pump up” the face, pump up the lips, make large artificial breasts and but parts. But the boat between sports fashion and celebrities who aren”t friends is still thin here.
Models of the 2000s are a real anti-Photoshop in the female community, and a massive reason for cultural protest:
- The debodying movement along with skinny and fat sports didn”t actually start as a protest against mass anorexia among teenage girls.
- Place Saz — model fashions, i. e. plump women showing off menacing and soft figures.
- Several laws have been passed prohibiting the hiring of models who are too thin.
- Fitness trends are about making women healthy, not skinny and boyish!
Androgyny as a physiological deviation
From the moment of intrauterine development, a person can develop both male and female genital organs. Such people can be boys or girls “according to the passport”, in accordance with the dominant type of external genitalia.
In our country it is not customary to ask them what gender they want to be. Usually the doctor “leave” the hermaphrodite with the gender that is most dominant in his hormonal state. All “excess” is removed surgically.
No one can force a person to undergo surgery or choose their gender. Such a person can live in the form in which nature created him, and determine his own gender.
Science considers hermaphroditism a genetic mutation. Today in civilized countries this is not a problem, but under patriarchy it is a real reason for persecution.
Gender roles, their importance and difference
The line between feminine and masculine
Now let”s get down to reality. Besides alternative models, bartenders, artists or remote workers in the digital industry, who can work in an androgynous style? If we are talking about women, then even more questions arise here.
- Adhering to dress codes for office jobs is challenging. Of course, such girls can pull on tights and skirts, but from that moment on the picture is lost.
- Understanding this when working with people is not enough. It should be similar to every person, for example, working in a trendy coffee shop or tattoo parlor. And it’s completely different — at the post office, at an interview or in a goods store.
- Rejection of the category by some segments of the population. Yes, we are actively talking about the less educated lumpen.
The person will find it difficult to give up his sexual identity. In fact, his choice is a small amount, culture, alternative fashion, digital technology or working in some fashionable establishments.
Androgyny and sex
The average person will say that bisexual clothing is inevitably gay or lesbian, but he would be wrong. Some people like minimalism, simple colors and lines in clothing, comfortable shoes and short hair.
Sexual misconceptions about bisexuality cause socialization problems for these individuals. Yes, it is very difficult to find a spouse if everyone thinks that you are a lesbian, for example, short hair, small breasts that you don’t want to enlarge with push-ups, or a man’s coat you wear to work.
In our country, patriarchal beliefs are generally stronger, and bisexual men are likely to be persecuted less than girls. Yes, trends have changed, but there is still a difference between metrosexuals with dyed beards and barber cuts and bisexuals with painted nails. And as soon as both are on the approaches to the workplace, this becomes completely obvious. Of course, the second one may suffer more physically.
Women also “replenish the piggy bank.”
We started talking about sex early, but it probably won”t happen. This happens because the androgyne, as a rule, is the least likely to resemble a girl who is focused on starting a family and having children. People judge them by their appearance. They want to believe that an overweight, violent man will definitely earn a lot of money to support them, but this boy in a long robe with a hood and skinny jeans is unlikely.
Indeed, while a boy may have a digital agency and a three-digit monthly income, a brutal man may have a cool job as a manager-driver, a boss car and three loans. But you can”t fool nature. For this reason, most people love with their eyes and think in stereotypes.
The truth is, it”s not just men who have problems with sex and relationships. In our environment, such a girl is not even perceived as very competitive in appearance and in her modernization. Why? Yes, because men usually look for people who are very different from themselves. Well, society is seriously locked into “people’s views and stereotypes”!
Androgyny is a fairy tale with a superficial twist. For example, there is a person who is not bound by gender conventions and is not valued solely on the basis of their gender. He tends to choose his partners at his discretion and live freely. Such a thing is theoretically attractive, but cannot yet be implemented within our society.
