gay icon

A gay icon is a larger-than-life celebrity or public figure with wide-spread fans amongst the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) communities. In particular, they are figures perceived to be strong or brave individuals who have wrestled with psychological demons, or issues of sexuality, or have suffered publicly and survived. Sometimes, the term Dycon is used to describe celebrities loved by the lesbian community in particular.

Gay icons include dramatic movie stars, as well as those who died young and beautiful or under tragic circumstances. Gay icons also includes both male and female musical stars (particularly those with powerful, emotive voices and/or troubled personal lives), as well as androgynous pop artists and rock groups. The women most commonly portrayed by drag queens, are usually gay icons.

Criticism

Some argue that gay icons are too narrowly focused on entertainment industry celebrities and that other possible role models are ignored. Some argue that in maintaining a gay iconography, LGBT men and women ignore substantial areas of history and the people who made it, such as generals, politicians, and scientists. Indeed, some argue a homophobic agenda might very well link such an iconography to outmoded notions of "gay" as emasculation, or of gay men and women being "failed" or "stunted" men and women. Until only very recently, however, some argue gay generals, politicians, and scientists (such as Alan Turing) would not have felt comfortable broadcasting their sexuality to doubtful response and could not therefore have attained an iconic status for the gay community.

Queer writer and gay film director Bruce LaBruce has criticized gay icons, calling Madonna "counter-revolutionary." He has cited her co-option of Marxist revolutionary imagery on the album American Life, calling it hypocritical of her to use such imagery to sell a product of bourgeois capitalist ideology and culture. Madonna has consistently acknowledged and embraced her gay following throughout her career. A prominent gay icon in many rural areas of England has been the much-loved Anthony Hall, and has helped many proleteriat to embrace their sexuality.

Some argue that the concept of gay icons is based on the notion that a person's sexual orientation dictates, or at least influences, a person's cultural and aesthetic preferences. By extension, some argue, a person's role models would be dictated by their sexual preferences. This effectively means, some would argue that the role models afforded to androphile men are narrowed to a few celebrities and would not include innovators like Ringo Starr, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Albert Einstein, Iggy Pop or Muhammad Ali had they been gay, or had some obvious appeal to the gay community. However, now that many more 'types' of gay men are feeling comfortable enough with their sexuality to lead a public gay life, some argue that the pantheon of gay icons may well expand to include just such heroes.

See also

• LGBT
• New Queer Cinema
• Queer Theory

External links

• Women worshipped by gay men
• Lesbian and Gay Icons website, Internet History Sourcebook
• Kelly Clarkson: Blender's Woman of the Year (Mentions her large gay fanbase)
• Gay men and women should just be themselves
• Kelly Clarkson talking about her gay fanbase
• Christina up close

References

• Frightening the Horses: Gay Icons of the Cinema, Eric Braun (2002). ISBN 1-903111-10-2

• 20th Century Icons-Gay, Graham Norton (2001). ISBN 1-899791-77-9

• Gay histories and cultures, George E. Haggerty (2000). ISBN 0-8153-1880-4

• The Culture of Queers, Richard Dyer (2002). ISBN 0-415-22376-8

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