What is
a Girly Man?
Ever since Arnold Schwarzenneger made news all over the
country when he called dissenting politicians in the State
Capitol girly men, there has been much discussion about
what constitutes, and who is, a "girly man." Definitions,
of course, vary, and there are many variations. But among
the possible identities of a "girly man," the
following, I believe, clearly emerges:
What is a girly man?
A big macho guy who on
occasion wears a corset to disguise he's running to fat.
A big macho guy who colors
his hair to gleam bronzy under camera lights.
A big macho guy who calls
male beauty shows physique contests.
A big macho guy who has
his own makeup folks to make sure his makeup doesn't show
but it does.
A big macho guy who calls
others girly men in order not to feel, himself, like a
girly man.
A big macho guy who can
become obnoxious among women in an attempt to prove he's
not a girly man.
A
big guy macho guy who doesn't know he's a girly man.
John Rechy
Los Angeles, California
October 2004

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Original material by John Rechy appears
frequently on these pages.
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