Read this post on a Dolce Gabbana T Shirt that says “I am not Gay, I am a Man”. The critic of the shirt suggests it is full of internalized homophobia. I am trying to see both sides of the coin. On one hand, if someone is running away from their sexuality, I can understand this perspective. On the other, if someone is so comfortable with there sexuality such that they do not need to label it, then that also seems like a proper position. My initial take was one of comfort in my sexuality hence no issue with it - however I would never buy such a shirt to begin with, Thoughts? https://www.pride.com/style/2017/12/27/dolce-gabbana-t-shirt-reeks-internalized-homophobia
I think it's pretty obviously the former. If the situation was such that they simply had risen above the label, the shirt would merely say "I am a man." The need to negate the "gay" suggests something else entirely to me.
The inference I take from it is the reverse "If I am gay, then I'm not a man." To me that seems much more like "bro-culture" type of stereotypical thinking. Yes, it could also be a form of internalized homophobia, but a person who fears being labeled gay isn't likely to even have the word "gay" on a shirt they intend to wear anyway. If the person was truly comfortable with their sexuality and not need a label, why then would they need to label themselves as "a man?" I think it's intended as tongue-in-cheek designed for today's bro-culture gays.
I've read an article with an interview to Stefano Gabbana; sadly it's in Italian and posting it here doesn't make much sense. He has internalized homophobia and detaches himself from any kind of activism / fight for rights / sense of community / the word "gay" itself because... because, being rich and famous, he's in a "safe position" and can easily judge who can't afford to live their sexuality in private because they need to fight discriminations.
I saw this article and found it interesting. It's something I had thought about before, in terms of the bigger picture that sexual orientation or anything else is not necessarily a thing to label. Some day perhaps sexual orientation will no longer be an issue, or seen as "different," such that there is no need to label it. On the other hand, a label like "gay" or LGBTQ, etc., could also be used simply as a unifying thing like for Pride festivities. So the label could be positive too.
Perhaps it's just simple minded homophobia. Perhaps "man" in this context could be meant in the old english sense "mankind" i.e. 'human.' So it could be about seeing past labels or something. Hard to say without much context.
I read the article as well, a translated version. I am shocked that someone of his stature would have such IH. With that backdrop, the shirt makes sense from that perspective. I would be interested to see if the shirt actually sells.
FWIW, my initial gut reaction is aligned with OTH's, namely, comfort in my sexuality, that being gay is no longer front and center in defining who I am. Having said that, this appears to be cleverly worded such that individuals can have different reactions based on their circumstance, which might help to explain why there are many different interpretations. It appears similar to those optical illusion drawings that are either a face or vase.
I don't think slogans like this are helpful on the whole. I get the idea in general... social workers are careful to use language like "Person living with a disability" or "person labeled with a disability" rather than "disabled person" because they believe (and I see it) that when we say "disabled person" we're putting the disability first. Now... when we're talking about gay people, it's a bit different. Some gay men are adamant about activism and radical acceptance and pushing boundaries, and it is because of those folks that the rest of us have as much freedom and acceptance as we do. On the other hand, in an ideal world, "I'm a man who happens to be gay" would be no more interesting, unusual, or anything else than, say "I'm a man who happens to be left-handed" or "I'm a man who happens to have a twin brother" or whatever.
