Gender, sexuality and performativity
The two are not necessarily connected, and they’re only discussed in relation to homosexuality. This is despite the fact heterosexuals also perform their sexuality and gender. Tom of Finland changed the way he performed his gender in his art in Daddy and Muscle Academy. In the film, it’s explained that Tom of Finland’s art used to be dominated by feminine, young men. At that time, this was the most popular performance.
It’s a process of iterability, “A regularized and constrained repetition of norms” (Jagose 87). It is a constant process of repetition. This can be as simple as choosing clothes, applying makeup or shaving. This also includes more complicated ideals such as behavior, speaking style and presentation. It was thought that homosexuals didn’t really exist, but only women could perform the role of a man. Tom of Finland helped change the way people thought about homosexuals. Tom’s art was dominated by masculine men who had exaggerated male features. Tom’s drawings became a popular model of how to portray identity during the 1970s. Tom’s sketches were the beginning of this leather man image, where bikers and sailors are represented in a homosexual fetishistic way. It made the world realize that homosexuals are men.
It is a way to show masculinity in terms of class or body. Tom’s universe considers being a powerful, manual worker masculine. It was unusual for the period. This is beneficial in the context to avoid censorship. This was supposedly done strategically to avoid the restriction imposed by the US Post Office. It was a great way to make his work popular and spread.
Suggesting that his artwork isn’t problematic would be a lie. While his art can have a positive effect, it also has issues with racism. His art often depicts black men as rapists. This is historically incorrect and racist. His Nazism can be explained by his life and the fact that it was based upon his fantasies when he served in Finland.
It is difficult for men to achieve a hyper masculine performance, particularly homosexual men. This was a way for gay men to establish their own masculinity standards, but it is still based on heterosexual masculinity standards. It was not as bad as people think today. Many gay women “converted” into leather men. In Daddy & The Muscle Academy a gay man recounts a story in which he was rejected by a ‘leatherman’ at a nightclub and subsequently converted to a ‘leatherman. He was able to attract the man who had rejected him.
Tom’s Art changed the way homosexual men saw themselves and their community. There are new standards and a subculture of homosexual men who also perform in a feminine manner. Tom’s work, despite its issues, was a major change for the gay community. Tom’s work normalized homosexuality, making it a thing that men can do, rather than something they are.
