How the Gay Communy Helped Popularize Workwear

Contents:

• TO FLANNEL OR NOT TO FLANNEL?{FONT-SIZE:20PX;LOR:#999;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;MARG:0PX;MARG-TOP:10PX;}CONFORMG TO STEREOTYP N MIMIZE QUEER {GRID-ROW-START:2;GRID-LUMN-START:2;GRID-LUMN-END:3;}@MEDIA (MAX-WIDTH:950PX){{GRID-LUMN-START:1;GRID-LUMN-END:2;}}{BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MAX-WIDTH:600PX;PADDG:0PX 20PX;MARG:0PX TO;FONT-FAY:'COLABORATE LIGHT','LUCIDA SANS UNI',SANS-SERIF;MARG-BOTTOM:5PX;} A{LOR:#7B1B18;} IMG{PADDG-RIGHT:7PX;}BY {LOR:#BA0600;}BECA J. GANTHER, CRIMSON STAFF {BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MAX-WIDTH:600PX;PADDG:0PX 20PX;MARG:0PX TO;}{DISPLAY:NONE;}@MEDIA (MAX-WIDTH:950PX){{BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MAX-WIDTH:600PX;PADDG:0PX 20PX;MARG:0PX TO;DISPLAY:BLOCK;PADDG-TOP:20PX;PADDG-BOTTOM:20PX;MARG-TOP:20PX;BORR-TOP:1PX SOLID #EBEBEB;BORR-BOTTOM:1PX SOLID #EBEBEB;}}{DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;WIDTH:TO;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;POSN:-WEBK-STICKY;POSN:STICKY;TOP:70PX;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:ROW;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:ROW;FLEX-DIRECTN:ROW;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:UNSET;} {DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG:0PX;} > SPAN{WIDTH:35PX !IMPORTANT;HEIGHT:35PX !IMPORTANT;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;BORR-RADI:50%;} SVG{WIDTH:25PX !IMPORTANT;HEIGHT:35PX !IMPORTANT;} .ADDTHIS_BUTTON_EMAIL > SPAN, .ADDTHIS_BUTTON_PRT > SPAN, .ADDTHIS_BUTTON_LK > SPAN{BACKGROUND-LOR:#EBEBEB !IMPORTANT;} .ADDTHIS_UNTER .ADDTHIS_BUTTON_EXPAND{WIDTH:35PX;HEIGHT:35PX;MARG:0PX;PADDG:0PX;BACKGROUND:NONE;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;BORR:1PX SOLID #EBEBEB;BORR-RADI:50%;LOR:#EBEBEB !IMPORTANT;} .ADDTHIS_BUTTON_PACT{DISPLAY:NONE !IMPORTANT;} {MARG:0PX 5PX;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;} P{MAX-WIDTH:600PX;MARG:0PX TO;PADDG:0PX 20PX;BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;FONT:17PX/25PX GEIA,SERIF;MARG-TOP:1EM;MARG-BOTTOM:1EM;} OL{MAX-WIDTH:600PX;MARG:0PX TO;PADDG:0PX 20PX;BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;FONT:17PX/25PX GEIA,SERIF;PADDG-LEFT:80PX;} P A, OL A, P A:VISED, OL A:VISED{LOR:#BA0600;-WEBK-TRANSN:0.3S ALL;TRANSN:0.3S ALL;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} P A:HOVER, OL A:HOVER{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} H1, H2, H3, H4, H5, H6{MAX-WIDTH:600PX;MARG:0PX TO;PADDG:0PX 20PX;BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MARG-TOP:1EM;MARG-BOTTOM:1EM;LOR:#7B1B18;}I REMEMBER MY FIRST FLANNEL. I STOOD ONT OF THE DRSG ROOM MIRROR AT CHARLOTTE RSE, SIZG UP THE PK AND GREY FABRIC SWISHG AROUND MY TORSO. THIS IS , I THOUGHT. LIBERATN. PRI. ACCEPTANCE. FALLY, I ULD PUT MY QUEERNS ON DISPLAY FOR THE WORLD TO SEE. THIS WAS THE BEGNG OF A NEW ERA WHICH EVERYONE ULD TAKE ONE LOOK AT ME AND KNOW THAT I’M TERTED GIRLS. I ULD MEET OTHER QUEER WOMEN AND TALK ABOUT QUEER THGS AND SHOP AT QUEER PLAC. RIGHT?WELL NO, NOT REALLY. MY LIFE HASN’T CHANGED DRASTILLY SCE THAT FATEFUL DAY TWO YEARS AGO. I HAVEN’T CUT MY HAIR SHORT. THERE ARE NO EDGY PIERCGS ANYWHERE ON MY BODY, NOT EVEN ON MY EARS. MY FOOTWEAR OF CHOICE IS FLATS, NOT BLACK BAT BOOTS. I GUS I’M NOT VERY GOOD AT BEG A LBIAN. AND THERE LI THE PROBLEM.EVEN THOUGH I KNOW ’S JT A STEREOTYPE, I N’T SHAKE THE ASSOCIATN BETWEEN WEARG FLANNEL AND GAYNS. IT’S FELY A SOCIAL NSTCT (THERE’S NOTHG HERENTLY GAY ABOUT FLANNEL), BUT I FEEL JT A TAD B GAYER . TO ME, WEARG FLANNEL IS NOT JT ANOTHER ARTICLE OF CLOTHG. IT’S ABOUT BREAKG SOCIETAL NORMS ABOUT SEXUALY AND APPEARANCE, BUT BREAKG THEM A VERY SPECIFIC, VERY LBIAN WAY. BY WEARG FLANNEL, I EMBRACE A ONE-DIMENSNAL SEXUALY TO FY AN EQUALLY ONE-DIMENSNAL HETERONORMATIVE WORLD.WHEN I TERNALIZED THE IA THAT WEARG FLANNEL EQUALS LBIAN AND NOT WEARG FLANNEL EQUALS STRAIGHT, I SUBNSCLY CID THAT THOSE WERE MY ONLY TWO OPTNS: LBIAN OR STRAIGHT. BUT MY INTY IS MORE PLITED THAN THAT, AND I’M QUTNG WHETHER I F EHER OF THOSE TEGORI.SO, WHAT’S LED ME TO RE-EVALUATE MY RELATNSHIP WH FLANNEL? WELL, I LIKE THIS BOY. BUT, I’M WORRIED HE THKS I’M GAY. OBVLY, THE REASONABLE SOLUTN TO THIS IS TO EXPLA TO HIM THAT I’M NOT. AND TO MAYBE FLIRT A LTLE.BUT, I’LL ADM . I STOPPED WEARG FLANNEL AS SOON AS I REALIZED I LIKED HIM. IT’S BEEN WEEKS, AND THEY’RE ALL HANGG UP MY CLOSET, UNTOUCHED. I N’T RENCILE MY FEELGS TOWARD HIM WH MY PERCEPTN OF FLANNEL. THE SYMBOL I ONCE EMBRACED NOW FEELS AWKWARD AND ILL-FTG. AM I ACTUALLY A LBIAN? AND IF I AM, IS THIS THE KD OF LBIAN I WANT TO BE? IS THIS HOW I WANT TO PRENT MYSELF TO THE WORLD? IS THIS ME?ELEVATG THE IMPORTANCE OF LBIAN STEREOTYP N MIMIZE THE EXPERIENC OF QUEER WOMEN BY PLACG THEM A BOX. WE SHOULD CELEBRATE ALL THE WAYS TO BE QUEER. AND, WE N START BY RENSTCTG THE NARRATIVE SURROUNDG LBIAN STEREOTYP TO CREATE MORE ROOM FOR QUEER PEOPLE WHO DON’T WANT TO OR N’T NFORM TO THEM. AFTER ALL, ISN’T MUCH OF BGLTQ PRI CENTERED AROUND BEG TE TO YOURSELF EVEN IF FALLS OUTSI OF THE NORM? EVEN IF YOU DON’T HAVE NOSE PIERCGS OR DON’T OWN ANY FLANNEL, ISN’T YOUR INTY JT AS VALID?IT’S ALSO WORTH NOTG THAT FLANNEL IS OFTEN SEEN AS A LBIAN STEREOTYPE, WHICH DON’T LEAVE ROOM FOR OTHER SEXUALI. WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE BISEXUAL, PANSEXUAL, ASEXUAL, OR POLYSEXUAL? WHY AREN'T THEY CLUD THIS NARRATIVE? ALONG THE SAME L, WHEN NON-LBIAN QUEER WOMEN EMBRACE THE STEREOTYP, THEY’RE OFTEN ASSUMED TO BE LBIANS.ON A MORE PERSONAL LEVEL, ATTEMPTG TO FOLLOW THE STEREOTYP SIMPLIFI HOW I PERCEIVE MY OWN INTY. I REMEMBER THKG THAT I NEED TO ALTER MY WARDROBE IF I WANTED TO BE A “REAL” QUEER WOMAN. ESSENTIALLY, I ME OUT OF A CLOSET AND WAS IMMEDIATELY SHOVED TO A BOX.DO I WEAR FLANNEL BEE I’M QUEER OR BEE I LIKE ?{DISPLAY:BLOCK;MARG:0PX TO;WIDTH:100%;MAX-WIDTH:100%;BACKGROUND:TRANSPARENT;PADDG:10PX 0PX;} {FONT-FAY:'COLABORATE LIGHT','LUCIDA SANS UNI',SANS-SERIF;LOR:#333333;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;FONT-SIZE:0.7EM;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;DISPLAY:BLOCK;} {WIDTH:-WEBK-F-NTENT;WIDTH:-MOZ-F-NTENT;WIDTH:F-NTENT;MARG:0PX TO;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}ADVERTISEMENTCLOSETS ARE MEANT TO NCEAL YOUR TE INTY, AND PERHAPS FLANNEL HAS BEE A KD OF CLOSET FOR ME.THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WAS GOOD FOR ME TO HANG SO MUCH OF MY INTY ON A PIECE OF CLOTHG. WEARG FLANNEL WAS STMENTAL MY LEARNG TO ACCEPT MY SEXUALY HIGH SCHOOL, AND I’M GRATEFUL FOR THAT EXPERIENCE. BUT, I’M AT A DIFFERENT STAGE MY LIFE NOW. FLANNEL HAS SERVED S PURPOSE.EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THE POWER TO CREATE AND EXPRS THEIR INTI WHATEVER WAY THEY CHOOSE. SOME WEAR FLANNEL AND ARE EMPOWERED BY , AND THAT'S WONRFUL. BUT, 'S JT NOT FOR ME. I EXPRS MY INTY BY REFLECTG ON MY VALU, SPEAKG UP ON ISSU I RE ABOUT, AND FDG MUNI FOR MUTUAL SUPPORT. THE AMOUNT OF FLANNEL MY CLOSET WILL PLAY NO PART THIS. AND, IF I DO WEAR FLANNEL, ’LL BE BEE MATCH MY OUTF, NOT BEE I WANT TO MAKE A STATEMENT.I’VE SPENT TOO MUCH TIME CHASG THE LBIAN IAL. NOW, ’S TIME FOR ME TO CHASE MY OWN IALS OF LOVE, ACCEPTANCE, AND BEG TE TO MYSELF.(HT: REREAD AND REPLACE “FLANNEL” WH “SEXUALY.”)BECA J. GANTHER ’20 IS A CRIMSON EDORIAL WRER LIVG WIGGLWORTH HALL. HER LUMN APPEARS ON ALTERNATE {FONT-SIZE:16.5PX;LE-HEIGHT:26PX;BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MAX-WIDTH:600PX;PADDG:0PX 20PX;MARG:0PX TO;MARG:1EM TO;} A{LOR:#7B1B18;}WANT TO KEEP UP WH BREAKG NEWS? SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL {MAX-WIDTH:600PX;MARG:0PX TO;PADDG:0PX 20PX;BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;PADDG:20PX 20PX;BORR-TOP:1PX SOLID #CCC;BORR-BOTTOM:1PX SOLID #CCC;MARG:20PX TO;}{DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:ROW;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:ROW;FLEX-DIRECTN:ROW;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;MARG:0PX TO;}@MEDIA (MAX-WIDTH:425PX){{-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:FLEX-START;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:FLEX-START;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:FLEX-START;ALIGN-EMS:FLEX-START;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;MARG-RIGHT:20PX;FONT:0.85EM/1.5EM 'COLABORATE LIGHT';TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;BACKGROUND-LOR:#AAA;BORR-RADI:5PX;PADDG:2PX 4PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;FONT:13PX 'COLABORATE LIGHT';MARG:2PX;LOR:WHE;}{GRID-LUMN-START:2;GRID-ROW-START:3;BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MAX-WIDTH:600PX;PADDG:0PX 20PX;MARG:0PX TO;WIDTH:100%;}@MEDIA 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• HOW THE GAY COMMUNY HELPED POPULARIZE WORKWEAR

TO FLANNEL OR NOT TO FLANNEL?{FONT-SIZE:20PX;LOR:#999;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;MARG:0PX;MARG-TOP:10PX;}CONFORMG TO STEREOTYP N MIMIZE QUEER {GRID-ROW-START:2;GRID-LUMN-START:2;GRID-LUMN-END:3;}@MEDIA (MAX-WIDTH:950PX){{GRID-LUMN-START:1;GRID-LUMN-END:2;}}{BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MAX-WIDTH:600PX;PADDG:0PX 20PX;MARG:0PX TO;FONT-FAY:'COLABORATE LIGHT','LUCIDA SANS UNI',SANS-SERIF;MARG-BOTTOM:5PX;} A{LOR:#7B1B18;} IMG{PADDG-RIGHT:7PX;}BY {LOR:#BA0600;}BECA J. GANTHER, CRIMSON STAFF {BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MAX-WIDTH:600PX;PADDG:0PX 20PX;MARG:0PX TO;}{DISPLAY:NONE;}@MEDIA (MAX-WIDTH:950PX){{BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MAX-WIDTH:600PX;PADDG:0PX 20PX;MARG:0PX TO;DISPLAY:BLOCK;PADDG-TOP:20PX;PADDG-BOTTOM:20PX;MARG-TOP:20PX;BORR-TOP:1PX SOLID #EBEBEB;BORR-BOTTOM:1PX SOLID #EBEBEB;}}{DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;WIDTH:TO;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;POSN:-WEBK-STICKY;POSN:STICKY;TOP:70PX;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:ROW;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:ROW;FLEX-DIRECTN:ROW;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:UNSET;} {DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG:0PX;} > SPAN{WIDTH:35PX !IMPORTANT;HEIGHT:35PX !IMPORTANT;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;BORR-RADI:50%;} SVG{WIDTH:25PX !IMPORTANT;HEIGHT:35PX !IMPORTANT;} .ADDTHIS_BUTTON_EMAIL > SPAN, .ADDTHIS_BUTTON_PRT > SPAN, .ADDTHIS_BUTTON_LK > SPAN{BACKGROUND-LOR:#EBEBEB !IMPORTANT;} .ADDTHIS_UNTER .ADDTHIS_BUTTON_EXPAND{WIDTH:35PX;HEIGHT:35PX;MARG:0PX;PADDG:0PX;BACKGROUND:NONE;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;BORR:1PX SOLID #EBEBEB;BORR-RADI:50%;LOR:#EBEBEB !IMPORTANT;} .ADDTHIS_BUTTON_PACT{DISPLAY:NONE !IMPORTANT;} {MARG:0PX 5PX;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;} P{MAX-WIDTH:600PX;MARG:0PX TO;PADDG:0PX 20PX;BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;FONT:17PX/25PX GEIA,SERIF;MARG-TOP:1EM;MARG-BOTTOM:1EM;} OL{MAX-WIDTH:600PX;MARG:0PX TO;PADDG:0PX 20PX;BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;FONT:17PX/25PX GEIA,SERIF;PADDG-LEFT:80PX;} P A, OL A, P A:VISED, OL A:VISED{LOR:#BA0600;-WEBK-TRANSN:0.3S ALL;TRANSN:0.3S ALL;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} P A:HOVER, OL A:HOVER{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} H1, H2, H3, H4, H5, H6{MAX-WIDTH:600PX;MARG:0PX TO;PADDG:0PX 20PX;BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MARG-TOP:1EM;MARG-BOTTOM:1EM;LOR:#7B1B18;}I REMEMBER MY FIRST FLANNEL. I STOOD ONT OF THE DRSG ROOM MIRROR AT CHARLOTTE RSE, SIZG UP THE PK AND GREY FABRIC SWISHG AROUND MY TORSO. THIS IS , I THOUGHT. LIBERATN. PRI. ACCEPTANCE. FALLY, I ULD PUT MY QUEERNS ON DISPLAY FOR THE WORLD TO SEE. THIS WAS THE BEGNG OF A NEW ERA WHICH EVERYONE ULD TAKE ONE LOOK AT ME AND KNOW THAT I’M TERTED GIRLS. I ULD MEET OTHER QUEER WOMEN AND TALK ABOUT QUEER THGS AND SHOP AT QUEER PLAC. RIGHT?WELL NO, NOT REALLY. MY LIFE HASN’T CHANGED DRASTILLY SCE THAT FATEFUL DAY TWO YEARS AGO. I HAVEN’T CUT MY HAIR SHORT. THERE ARE NO EDGY PIERCGS ANYWHERE ON MY BODY, NOT EVEN ON MY EARS. MY FOOTWEAR OF CHOICE IS FLATS, NOT BLACK BAT BOOTS. I GUS I’M NOT VERY GOOD AT BEG A LBIAN. AND THERE LI THE PROBLEM.EVEN THOUGH I KNOW ’S JT A STEREOTYPE, I N’T SHAKE THE ASSOCIATN BETWEEN WEARG FLANNEL AND GAYNS. IT’S FELY A SOCIAL NSTCT (THERE’S NOTHG HERENTLY GAY ABOUT FLANNEL), BUT I FEEL JT A TAD B GAYER . TO ME, WEARG FLANNEL IS NOT JT ANOTHER ARTICLE OF CLOTHG. IT’S ABOUT BREAKG SOCIETAL NORMS ABOUT SEXUALY AND APPEARANCE, BUT BREAKG THEM A VERY SPECIFIC, VERY LBIAN WAY. BY WEARG FLANNEL, I EMBRACE A ONE-DIMENSNAL SEXUALY TO FY AN EQUALLY ONE-DIMENSNAL HETERONORMATIVE WORLD.WHEN I TERNALIZED THE IA THAT WEARG FLANNEL EQUALS LBIAN AND NOT WEARG FLANNEL EQUALS STRAIGHT, I SUBNSCLY CID THAT THOSE WERE MY ONLY TWO OPTNS: LBIAN OR STRAIGHT. BUT MY INTY IS MORE PLITED THAN THAT, AND I’M QUTNG WHETHER I F EHER OF THOSE TEGORI.SO, WHAT’S LED ME TO RE-EVALUATE MY RELATNSHIP WH FLANNEL? WELL, I LIKE THIS BOY. BUT, I’M WORRIED HE THKS I’M GAY. OBVLY, THE REASONABLE SOLUTN TO THIS IS TO EXPLA TO HIM THAT I’M NOT. AND TO MAYBE FLIRT A LTLE.BUT, I’LL ADM . I STOPPED WEARG FLANNEL AS SOON AS I REALIZED I LIKED HIM. IT’S BEEN WEEKS, AND THEY’RE ALL HANGG UP MY CLOSET, UNTOUCHED. I N’T RENCILE MY FEELGS TOWARD HIM WH MY PERCEPTN OF FLANNEL. THE SYMBOL I ONCE EMBRACED NOW FEELS AWKWARD AND ILL-FTG. AM I ACTUALLY A LBIAN? AND IF I AM, IS THIS THE KD OF LBIAN I WANT TO BE? IS THIS HOW I WANT TO PRENT MYSELF TO THE WORLD? IS THIS ME?ELEVATG THE IMPORTANCE OF LBIAN STEREOTYP N MIMIZE THE EXPERIENC OF QUEER WOMEN BY PLACG THEM A BOX. WE SHOULD CELEBRATE ALL THE WAYS TO BE QUEER. AND, WE N START BY RENSTCTG THE NARRATIVE SURROUNDG LBIAN STEREOTYP TO CREATE MORE ROOM FOR QUEER PEOPLE WHO DON’T WANT TO OR N’T NFORM TO THEM. AFTER ALL, ISN’T MUCH OF BGLTQ PRI CENTERED AROUND BEG TE TO YOURSELF EVEN IF FALLS OUTSI OF THE NORM? EVEN IF YOU DON’T HAVE NOSE PIERCGS OR DON’T OWN ANY FLANNEL, ISN’T YOUR INTY JT AS VALID?IT’S ALSO WORTH NOTG THAT FLANNEL IS OFTEN SEEN AS A LBIAN STEREOTYPE, WHICH DON’T LEAVE ROOM FOR OTHER SEXUALI. WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE BISEXUAL, PANSEXUAL, ASEXUAL, OR POLYSEXUAL? WHY AREN'T THEY CLUD THIS NARRATIVE? ALONG THE SAME L, WHEN NON-LBIAN QUEER WOMEN EMBRACE THE STEREOTYP, THEY’RE OFTEN ASSUMED TO BE LBIANS.ON A MORE PERSONAL LEVEL, ATTEMPTG TO FOLLOW THE STEREOTYP SIMPLIFI HOW I PERCEIVE MY OWN INTY. I REMEMBER THKG THAT I NEED TO ALTER MY WARDROBE IF I WANTED TO BE A “REAL” QUEER WOMAN. ESSENTIALLY, I ME OUT OF A CLOSET AND WAS IMMEDIATELY SHOVED TO A BOX.DO I WEAR FLANNEL BEE I’M QUEER OR BEE I LIKE ?{DISPLAY:BLOCK;MARG:0PX TO;WIDTH:100%;MAX-WIDTH:100%;BACKGROUND:TRANSPARENT;PADDG:10PX 0PX;} {FONT-FAY:'COLABORATE LIGHT','LUCIDA SANS UNI',SANS-SERIF;LOR:#333333;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;FONT-SIZE:0.7EM;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;DISPLAY:BLOCK;} {WIDTH:-WEBK-F-NTENT;WIDTH:-MOZ-F-NTENT;WIDTH:F-NTENT;MARG:0PX TO;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}ADVERTISEMENTCLOSETS ARE MEANT TO NCEAL YOUR TE INTY, AND PERHAPS FLANNEL HAS BEE A KD OF CLOSET FOR ME.THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WAS GOOD FOR ME TO HANG SO MUCH OF MY INTY ON A PIECE OF CLOTHG. WEARG FLANNEL WAS STMENTAL MY LEARNG TO ACCEPT MY SEXUALY HIGH SCHOOL, AND I’M GRATEFUL FOR THAT EXPERIENCE. BUT, I’M AT A DIFFERENT STAGE MY LIFE NOW. FLANNEL HAS SERVED S PURPOSE.EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THE POWER TO CREATE AND EXPRS THEIR INTI WHATEVER WAY THEY CHOOSE. SOME WEAR FLANNEL AND ARE EMPOWERED BY , AND THAT'S WONRFUL. BUT, 'S JT NOT FOR ME. I EXPRS MY INTY BY REFLECTG ON MY VALU, SPEAKG UP ON ISSU I RE ABOUT, AND FDG MUNI FOR MUTUAL SUPPORT. THE AMOUNT OF FLANNEL MY CLOSET WILL PLAY NO PART THIS. AND, IF I DO WEAR FLANNEL, ’LL BE BEE MATCH MY OUTF, NOT BEE I WANT TO MAKE A STATEMENT.I’VE SPENT TOO MUCH TIME CHASG THE LBIAN IAL. NOW, ’S TIME FOR ME TO CHASE MY OWN IALS OF LOVE, ACCEPTANCE, AND BEG TE TO MYSELF.(HT: REREAD AND REPLACE “FLANNEL” WH “SEXUALY.”)BECA J. GANTHER ’20 IS A CRIMSON EDORIAL WRER LIVG WIGGLWORTH HALL. HER LUMN APPEARS ON ALTERNATE {FONT-SIZE:16.5PX;LE-HEIGHT:26PX;BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MAX-WIDTH:600PX;PADDG:0PX 20PX;MARG:0PX TO;MARG:1EM TO;} A{LOR:#7B1B18;}WANT TO KEEP UP WH BREAKG NEWS? 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Ask a Homo: Why Do Lbians Wear So Much Flannel? Wele back to Ask a Homo, a judgment-ee zone where the gays of Outward answer qutns about LGBTQ polics, culture, etiquette, language, and other queer nundms. Send your queri—for publitn—to, and please put “ASK A HOMO” the subject le.

And there li the though I know ’s jt a stereotype, I n’t shake the associatn between wearg flannel and gayns. It’s fely a social nstct (there’s nothg herently gay about flannel), but I feel jt a tad b gayer .

But, I’m worried he thks I’m gay. Whether ’s femm who have been alg wh this sce the dawn of gay (filed unr: “femme visibily”), folks on the softer si of butch, or peeps who are passg for dus whout even tryg - ’s not unmon to wish you uld be better seen by your fellow queers. Flaggg’s orig is traced back to the 60’s and 70’s when gay and bisexual men would e a “hanky ” to signal their terts to each other before gay sex was legal.

HOW THE GAY COMMUNY HELPED POPULARIZE WORKWEAR

Addg sue elbow patch to a sweater or heavy-weight shirt (like a nim button-up) is guaranteed to give at least a 50% gay boost. #5 - Super Gay T-shirt (Not So Subtle). What you might not realize is that much of the fashn that has seeped to popular menswear today has been propagated and popularized by the gay muny.

But as the fight for gay rights progrsed, gay people found novel ways of drsg to signal their affiliatn to others -the-know.