nothing wrong with it, really?

Apparently, this film was majorly offensive to gay rights groups of the early 80’s for it’s betrayal of it’s leather culture. Okay.. so why? Did gay men in New York not go to literal underground clubs, wear leather, take drugs, then have random sex using varieties of fetishes? Check, tis true. Yes, in the film gay men were also being murdered, fictionally murdered in the name of filmmaking, in the name of crime-drama. Was it exploitative? Yes, of course, it’s a fucking exploitation film. If it portrayed gays in a negative way, I’m sure that wasn’t the intention. I didn’t view it as anti-gay in any fashion.People just like to bitch, so now it’s my turn.

In comparison, there are dozens of teenagers running around cities wearing more makeup than a MAC counter (in the name of “androgynous fashion” and “individuality”) having indiscriminate sex with anyone who pays them attention, claiming they were born this way. I don’t believe that anyone was born wearing Diva Glam eyeshadow, too much lip gloss, and five inch Gucci knockoffs. I don’t understand the trend and people like Lady GaGa have only reinforced this peculiar “pride”. If this group of people are so hip and special, then why are there so many? I’m all for shock value, believe me, but there is nothing shocking about repetitive emulation. In the 70’s, the leather culture stood for something. It showed the shame of having to hide, the guilt brought on by this and the need for self-punishment. It invented a sub-culture so insecure it churned out an image of ultimate machismo: narcissism, decadence and hatred. I’m very intrigued by the 70’s gay S&M culture and wish I could have been there while it flourished then faded away into the mainstream. In comparison to this new quasi-drag phenomena, I don’t understand it’s importance or reasoning, nothing more than “self-expression” on a massively overpopulated stage. I just can’t wait for boys to be boys again. Let’s not exploit ourselves by promoting this trend. Lets find our own dream, our own identity, our own successes. Let’s put the makeup away and show ourselves. Don’t be afraid of progression. Whatever it is, leather or eyeliner, it’s still a mask. Can’t we be free?