On Wednesday, at Jamboree, several dozen men came traipsing down the hillside in drag, some realistic, some ridiculous. But all were unabashedly having fun. On Thursday they dressed in ladies pantsuits and on Saturday, many dressed up as some version of Barbie. And at various moments inbetween they played with gender expression and fashion.
More than that, they enthusiastically participated in dance workshops, made crafts, cooked and more. I found the experience of being among them absolutely delightful. And never did I question that they were men. In snippets of conversation I heard here and there, I discovered that most held regular and well-respected jobs as teachers and businessmen, etc.
Why did this surprise me? It comes down to my background, yet again. The men in the churches I was a part of would not have been caught dead in a dress. They’d stand by awkwardly while the women danced. And they’d do the heavy lifting while the women decorated or cooked. There were clear gender divides that were not crossed. It wasn’t as blatant as requiring women to wear skirts or restricting them to the role of homemaker, but it was there all the same. We were always scrambling for male volunteers and participants.
The thing is, I think this divide goes beyond the church. I think a great majority of straight men would find it debasing or at the very least, mildly embarrassing to cross the unspoken gender divide. They would feel threatened to wear a dress or dance in wild abandon. And I don’t understand why. Where is the threat? How does that make one any less a man? I understand that some cross-dressers are also transgender, but that is not always the case. And even so...who cares!
I then go on to puzzle about why gay men appear to have obtained a measure of freedom from such restrictions. Is it just because they already face stereotypes or discomfort caused by their sexuality and don’t care anymore? Or is it because they have a more strongly developed feminine side (I don’t know that I find this one sufficient to explain all cases)?
I’m sure there are those who have taken gender classes in university and could cite various theories that explain this phenomenon. I’m sure there are historical and perhaps even evolutionary explanations. I’d probably even be interested in some of them. But all I really want to do right now is say to all the men of the world “Get over yourselves and have some fun!”. Yay for all the brave and creative and amazing men I met at camp.
No comments:
Post a Comment