AEGiS-BKREV: Gay Macho: The Life and Death of the Homosexual Clone

(BKREV) Gay Macho: The Life and Death of the Homosexual Clone

New York University Press, 70 Washington Square South, New York, NY 10012-1091. 260p., bibliog., index. ISBN 0-8147-4694-2, 0-8147-4695-0pbk. $50.00, $17.95pbk.
Martin P. Levine. 1998.

Long gone are the days of the macho man who had a trimmed beard, beautiful tan, muscled body, and an attitude that was above all attitudes. He wore tight Levis, a harness over a bare chest, and light tan work boots. He told the world who he was and what he liked through certain actions and distinctive bits of clothing such as a bandana in either the right or left rear pocket. He danced with a frenzy to such songs as "Y.M.C.A." and "I Wanna Be a Macho Man." Those were the days when one went to the gay strips or the bars to look, watch, and cruise. The non-macho man stared with envy at the macho man he longed to be. These were the clones. Everyone who had a body wanted to be one and those who did not have a body spent hours trying to obtain that body. The disco was in and wild; the leather bars were full; and the dark back bars with their secret codes for entrance were in every major city.

Then the 80s came and the black cloud of AIDS descended on everyone. The macho men and the non-macho men became sick and died at alarming rates. Fear was everywhere and the era of taking the HIV antibody test was born. Safe sex or safer sex was constantly thrust into everyone's face. The macho man was still around but he was not the same. No longer did everyone want to be like him because too many were becoming ill and dying of AIDS. Hate from the straight world increased and life for gays became more subdued.

This book is about the rise and fall of the macho man. The 80s disco song, "So Many Men, So Little Time," had been shelved because you really could not run the risk of becoming positive. Being monogamous was the talk of the town. This is an interesting book that makes one sad and angry. Why did these good times have to be squashed? Why did this fear of AIDS have to be brought into the gay community? Why? Why? Why? Gay Macho is highly recommended for all public and academic libraries. It is a historical account of that part of gay history which has brought gays together more than ever.

Keywords: Gay Men; Psychology; Attitudes; Sexual Behavior; Masculinity in Popular Culture; Machismo; Stereotype (Psychology))

Copyright (c) 1999 - Board of Trustees of the University of Chicago. All materials in the journal are subject to copyright by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois and may be reprinted or redistributed for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. For other reprinting, redistribution, or translation, address requests to H. Robert Malinowsky, University of Illinois at Chicago Library, PO Box 8198, Chicago, IL 60680 or electronically to hrm@uic.edu.
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Copyright © 1999 - The University of Illinois at Chicago. All materials in the journal are subject to copyright by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois and may be reprinted or redistributed for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. For other reprinting, redistribution, or translation, address requests to H. Robert Malinowsky, University of Illinois at Chicago Library, PO Box 8198, Chicago, IL 60680 or electronically to hrm@uic.edu.

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