Androgyny

The 80's will long be remembered as one of the most radical eras of fashion, from glam rock to Madonna, extreme was the new normal. It was also the decade for disregarding social norms before we had phrases like "gender non-conforming". While the androgynous fashion of the 80's inspired many to play with unconventional styles, we seem to have moved away from the widespread embrace of androgyny itself.

It's not uncommon for stars today (like Brad Pitt and Christian Bale) to do photo shoots where they dress up in "gender bending" outfits before continuing on in there regular attire. While I'll always support efforts against toxic masculinity, it's often for marketing or some "National Gay Awareness Day" type thing. Where has the embrace of androgynous identity or gender fluid style gone? Mostly, it's contained within alternative subcultures.

We used to have David Bowie, Boy George, Elton John, Annie Lennox, Prince, Grace Jones and more (not to imply they've all passed away). All hugely popular despite challenging popular understandings of gendered behaviours and aesthetics. Not just singers either, Sigourney Weaver, Anjelica Huston and Tilda Swinton all emerged from the 80's embracing androgynous stylistic choices. It was okay for men to wear heels, Elton John was doing it. And women looking masculine wasn't unfortunate, it was hot and beautiful thanks to Grace Jones and Annie Lennox. Wearing makeup? I mean, doesn't Prince just look amazing? No longer is masculinity a necessity for men, or femininity a necessity for women.

Gender non-conforming fashion has always been associated with queer communities. Women with short hair will often be considered lesbians, and men who dressed femininely were labeled either gay or fetishistic. While there is certainly an overlap between androgynous fashion and the queer community, the whole point of mainstream androgyny is that it doesn't have to mean anything outside of the fashion space. Gays, straights and trans alike, dress however the f**k you like!

Unfortunately, paired with the rise of androgyny, the 80's was also an era not yet ready to fully celebrate LGBTQI+ individuals. Some stars embraced queer identity, like David Bowie who confused fans by claiming a homosexual and bisexuality identity over the years. Other stars like George Michael actively hid their queer identities for their careers, and Prince openly denounced homosexuality despite his gender non-conforming image. Perhaps it was precisely because of this socially tumultuous environment that androgyny emerged and made such an impact.

Of course people considered the gender non-conforming stars of the 80's weird and extreme, but fame and success was still achievable for them. Everyone just seemed ready for all things radical. So where does that leave us today? There are the androgynous few who are taking the main stage loudly and proudly. The now disgraced Marilyn Manson held that mantle for a while. Eddie Izzard publicly dressed femininely for years before coming out as transgender, but was more commonly seen as "cross-dressing" than being androgynous. More recently, young artists like Yungblud have taken on androgyny publicly.

There are clearly those who celebrate androgyny, whether in the form of glittered men wearing dresses or short-haired women in suits, but I say it's high time for a mainstream comeback. Let's break androgyny out of gay clubs and punk shows, and into our streets and screens. It's beautiful, it's interesting and it embraces all things "other". No really, if you haven't experienced your local gay clubs, you're missing out.

The recent rise in popularity of Lil Nas X (except, perhaps, in some more conservative and Christian circles) gives me hope that an era of androgyny is on its way back.