Our life provides us with lots of new words, which are sometimes difficult to understand. Moreover, they may cause misunderstanding and confusion. One of such words is “metrosexual”. What kind of people are metrosexuals and how this term came to everyday use, I’d like to discuss right now.
While looking for different definitions of this word in the Internet I came across the following ones, which identify a metrosexual as:
· a usually urban heterosexual male given to enhancing his personal appearance by fastidious grooming, beauty treatments, and fashionable clothes
· an urban male with a heterosexual orientation who rejects many macho attributes often linked to masculinity
· a young man with money to spend, living in or within easy reach of a metropolis — because that's where all the best shops, clubs, gyms and hairdressers are. He might be officially gay, straight or bisexual, but this is utterly immaterial because he has clearly taken himself as his own love object and pleasure as his sexual preference. Particular professions, such as modeling, waiting tables, media, pop music and, nowadays, sport, seem to attract them but, truth be told, like male vanity products and herpes, they're pretty much everywhere.
· a guy who, has good fashion sense (i.e. color coordinates his wardrobe, has expensive clothes), gets manicures/pedicures, takes a long time to get ready cause every spike of hair has to be in the right place, listens to Justin Timberlake, bleaches the tips of his hair, has earrings etc.
· a man who would most probably be straight with possible bisexual or homosexual tendencies who displays a curiosity through his or her hairstyle and choice of dress.
In general, metrosexuality is defined as the trait of a sophisticated man who has a strong aesthetic sense and spends a substantial amount of time and money on his appearance and lifestyle.
As we see, the picture is more or less clear. One thing I cannot agree to is that metrosexuals are often referred to as gays. It is not quite right. Let’s put it this way: all gays are metrosexuals, but not metrosexuals are gays. The term came into use in 1994, after Mark Simpson, a British and outspokenly gay social "commentarist," first published it in the article called "Here Come The Mirror Men," which ran in Britain's Independent. The concept was developed thanks to Simpson's book on masculine identity in a media-driven world, called Male Impersonators: Men Performing Masculinity. Even though Simpson is a gay, it doesn’t mean that all metrosexuals are gays. He told about this in one of his interviews.
Speaking about modern and well known metrosexuals we cannot but mention the names of David Beckham, Brad Pitt, Hugh Jackman and Tom Cruise. All these men are as much models as they are sports stars or actors, welcoming the not-so-furtive female gazes like the walking billboards they've become.
Thus, it becomes clear that if a man takes care of himself and likes good and expensive clothes, he is not necessarily a gay. It may be right, but not in all cases – in most cases, however, such a man will be referred to as a metrosexual. And there is nothing offensive in this word.
While looking for different definitions of this word in the Internet I came across the following ones, which identify a metrosexual as:
· a usually urban heterosexual male given to enhancing his personal appearance by fastidious grooming, beauty treatments, and fashionable clothes
· an urban male with a heterosexual orientation who rejects many macho attributes often linked to masculinity
· a young man with money to spend, living in or within easy reach of a metropolis — because that's where all the best shops, clubs, gyms and hairdressers are. He might be officially gay, straight or bisexual, but this is utterly immaterial because he has clearly taken himself as his own love object and pleasure as his sexual preference. Particular professions, such as modeling, waiting tables, media, pop music and, nowadays, sport, seem to attract them but, truth be told, like male vanity products and herpes, they're pretty much everywhere.
· a guy who, has good fashion sense (i.e. color coordinates his wardrobe, has expensive clothes), gets manicures/pedicures, takes a long time to get ready cause every spike of hair has to be in the right place, listens to Justin Timberlake, bleaches the tips of his hair, has earrings etc.
· a man who would most probably be straight with possible bisexual or homosexual tendencies who displays a curiosity through his or her hairstyle and choice of dress.
In general, metrosexuality is defined as the trait of a sophisticated man who has a strong aesthetic sense and spends a substantial amount of time and money on his appearance and lifestyle.
As we see, the picture is more or less clear. One thing I cannot agree to is that metrosexuals are often referred to as gays. It is not quite right. Let’s put it this way: all gays are metrosexuals, but not metrosexuals are gays. The term came into use in 1994, after Mark Simpson, a British and outspokenly gay social "commentarist," first published it in the article called "Here Come The Mirror Men," which ran in Britain's Independent. The concept was developed thanks to Simpson's book on masculine identity in a media-driven world, called Male Impersonators: Men Performing Masculinity. Even though Simpson is a gay, it doesn’t mean that all metrosexuals are gays. He told about this in one of his interviews.
Speaking about modern and well known metrosexuals we cannot but mention the names of David Beckham, Brad Pitt, Hugh Jackman and Tom Cruise. All these men are as much models as they are sports stars or actors, welcoming the not-so-furtive female gazes like the walking billboards they've become.
Thus, it becomes clear that if a man takes care of himself and likes good and expensive clothes, he is not necessarily a gay. It may be right, but not in all cases – in most cases, however, such a man will be referred to as a metrosexual. And there is nothing offensive in this word.
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