Life Outside The Manbox

Homosexuality has long been taboo in the majority of cultures, and It wasn’t until the latter part of the 20th century when homosexuality became more accepted in modern cultures, such as the United States. There are a number of stereotypes associated with gay men, particularly those involving flamboyancy and girlish tendencies. These flamboyant tendencies are things such as talking in girly ways, watching romantic comedies, dressing in tight/feminine clothes, and enjoying drama. Many gay men do not fit any homosexual stereotypes, however many gay men do live up to these stereotypes. The latter, in addition to the longstanding negative stigma associated with homosexuality, are in my opinion why gay men are considered outside of the “manbox”. Homosexuality had long been banned, both legally and culturally, leaving the negative stereotypes and generalizations to remain today. When gay men actually personify these stereotypes they are considered unmanly, thus landing outside of the “manbox”. Unfortunately, these circumstances represent gay men on a whole, pushing all gay men outside of the “manbox”.