“Straight Acting”

Posted on | December 9, 2005

While doing a scan of blogs, I noticed a brief entry by Michael over at Gay Orbit. In it he mentions a pet peeve with people who use the phrase “straight acting” to describe their mannerisms. I happen to agree with Michael on this one in principal. I have to laugh at the insecurity these individuals have in their masculinity. Is it so low that you have to use a label to compare yourself against heterosexual men in order to prove to the world you really do have a dick between your legs? Are you afraid that your masculinity is judged on some supposedly objective and universal scale like the SAT? Men who are “straight acting” do not suck cock, they eat pussy. Of course some of this descends from the absurd notion that in embracing our innate homosexuality, we surrender our innate masculinity. This is especially compounded when one of us assumes the roll of the “bottom” when it comes to anal sex because we “become the woman” in that instance. In case some of you have failed to figure it out yet, being homosexual does not automatically revoke your manhood no matter if you are the world’s most dominant top or the biggest power bottom since Tristan Paris. Nor does it matter if your dick is the size of baseball bat or the size of macaroni. It is just the mere fact you have a penis that gives you your manhood. Just accept it and get over yourselves.

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Comments

3 Responses to ““Straight Acting””

lvoffender
January 3rd, 2006 @ 7:37 am

I think you are missing the point of gay men stating they are “straight acting”. I consider myself “straight acting” and only date others who are.
It is a definition describing a general attitude and demenure. Some gay men are not attracted to the growing number of man-bag carring, make-up
wearing queens. Straight acting is only another description allowing others to identify wether or not they would be compatible as friends or lovers.
It should be no more looked down on than someone stating they are “queer” or a “fag” as that denote a certain attitude and style.
Also, I am not insecure about my sexuallity I simply perfer my men to act like men. As a matter of fact I feel it validates my homosexuallity, I
am attracted to men, not women. So, no being homosexual does not revoke your manhood, your choices as a gay man do that.

Considering how insightful most of your posts are I was a bit confused by this one.
The Angry Fag
January 3rd, 2006 @ 1:06 pm

The characteristics you describe though are different from straight versus gay. They are masculine versus feminine.

When you are on the end of the continuum that society labels as masculine, you don’t carry a murse, lisp, or wear make-up for reasons other than cancealment. But that has nothing to do with being gay or striaght, we just have mapped that continuum onto sexuality.
Bear Wabbit
February 5th, 2006 @ 12:44 pm

I, too, describe myself as “straight-acting” if I have to (as much as I loathe the term for reasons you have outlined).
I have never been the sort of guy people would pick as queer. I have a regular voice, regular mannerisms, I don’t wear designer clothes, not big on maintenance etc.
I see a lot of gay guys carrying on like Jack in W&G or other queer stereotypes and I wonder whether we should have the term “Queer-Acting” as all these guys look and sound remarkably similiar.
The same faux-Wildean wit, the same lilt in the voice and the walk, the attitude and the bitchyness.
Homer Simpson said: “I like my beer cold and my homosexuals flaming” and whilst Homer is just a cartoon character that statement is somewhat profound.
I am concerned that the stereotype of the effete, manbag carrying, Wildean/bitchy, high-maintenance queen is doing MORE damage to the esteem of young gay men than any of this “straight acting” stuff.
Our terms of reference need working on.