Dressed in DRAG. Stripped of FEMININITY?

Dressed in DRAG. Stripped of FEMININITY?

Commentary by

Xem VanAdams-Lumumba

Photos by

www.UrbanShotz.BlogSpot.com

We are living in a Day and Time where GAY and HETEROSEXUAL Men are leaving their dwellings, daily, Dressed in a Mainstream, 'Culturally-Identifying' DRAG. Its the Baggy Jean, Fitted Cap, Unlaced Sneaker, Roped-Neck kinda DRAG that is 'SUPPOSE' to smother the Flames of Femininity. The smoke that rises from this attire is meant to fill the air with a Sense of Hyper-Masculinity, and an aura of 'ManHood'.
DRAG is practiced by people of ALL Sexual Orientations and Gender Identities. It's considered to be any outfit or costume worn that carries symbolic significance. Western Civilization has glued the term to the existence of Gay men and women who dress in clothing that is originally created for the opposite sex. HOWEVER, in its TECHNICAL sense, DRAG has become a contemporary form of masquerading Pain, Sorrow, Struggle, Sacrifice and Personal TRUTH.

Often times, ESPECIALLY amongst the GAY community, our young men have been so SATURATED by the physical exterior of how a MAN in Black Society is suppose to look. As a result, many of us spend our Teenage years, and often times, early college years, trying to HIDE the internal struggles of dealing with our Sexuality, under external clothing that is representative of the 'Everyday, Stereotypical, Black male.'

The Larger and Baggier the Clothing, The Larger and Baggier the ISSUES that our young men are battling.

Our young men are being taught by their peers, the media, and even amongst their brothers and sisters that fitted clothing is 'GAY', and that wearing 'Too Much Color' is even 'GAY.er'

In looking at The most recent Sean John ADS, where NELLY is posed as the most recent Poster-Boy for Sean John Underwear, in No photos do you see Nelly posed WITHOUT his BAGGY, BLUE JEANS; exposing the fitted 'comfort' of the Brief and Boxer-Brief Underwear.

NEVER do you see WHITE or ITALIAN Ad Campaigns for Underwear, where the Male Models are wearing pants on top of the Undergarments. HOWEVER, in the BLACK COMMUNITY, especially, its 'GAY' to even wear Fitted Underwear. 'MEN' wear Boxers, or Loose-Fitted Boxer Briefs with 'PLENTY OF ROOM in the FRONT'. Even amongst the NBA, where the MAJORITY of players are Black Men, over the years, Basketball shorts continue to get Longer and Baggier, with every passing season. Black Men are AFRAID of fitted clothing, in FEAR of being LABELED as GAY.

...as our young boys play witness to these IMAGES, which saturate their daily lives, they begin to IDENTIFY themselves, by the DRAG they wear, as to 'Fit-In' and avoid the Chastizing and GAY Labels.
STYLE is a Major form of Self-Xpression. GAY nor HeteroSexual young men of our Society, of early teen years through adulthood, should feel the NEED to dress in DRAG, as to 'avoid' confrontation in the classroom or on the streets.

I am 5'8-145 pounds, and I am PROUD to be able to fit SMALL T-shirts, SMALL Sweaters, and size 31 Jeans.

'Creation is Representation' [Xem; August 2008]

'Knowledge and Artistry ABOVE My own VANITY' [Xem; July 2008]

'Im Drenched in Love and Showered by Support'[Xem; April 2008]

'Life Without Photographs are Moments that Never Happened'[Xem; August, 2007]