Homo Eros/ Fetishism
Prison and Modern Culture
Kofi Fosu Forson
Elements of art and literature that precludes the current fascination of homoeroticism in society Masoch's Venus in Furs, Marquis de Sade, Fleur du Mal (Flowers of Evil) Antonin Artaud, Jean Cocteau, Roland Barthes among other facets of modern French philosophy and aestheticism.
In popular music and rock and roll Alice Cooper introduced transvesticism and theater. This had a past in what front men like Elvis Presley and Jim Morrisson were only it included staged sexual acts. The idea of sexuality transferred from private clubs as well as homes into the general public was the beginning of what became overt sexuality expressed through fashion, music and pop culture.
The first album by Velvet Underground broke ground in its handling of sexual subject matter. Andy Warhol as manager of the band used the band members mostly singer Nico as muse. His work with Velvet Underground set the parameters of what was to later come in his career.
Rock and roll was singularly reason why orgiastic and hedonistic behavior in connection with drinking and sex has permeated society since the 50's. Much can be said for jazz and drugs as well or even opium among writers.
Writers and Artists who were known as homosexuals Francis Bacon or James Baldwin never overtly wore their sexuality on their sleeve, Truman Capote exhibited a sense of flamboyance but his elegance and charm won out.
Disco of the 70's particularly Studio 54 caused many to quote/unquote come out of the closet. The notion of Hollywood actors as gay was not the same reaching more or less a "shock" status. Warhol's evolution gave many chances to be free to live out their sexuality from homosexuals to transsexuals.
Combination of sex and drug orgies quickly brought about the reality of A.I.D.S. Mondo New York was a movie which made public the burgeoning art culture area of downtown New York. Many of these artists were influential on what has become modern sexual behavior. Names like Karen Finley, Nick Zedd and Richard Kern will live on forever.
Bachelors were first given a forum for sex with Playboy. Since then many adult magazines have been published. Home Box Office among many channels introduced adult programming but Public Access channels took it step further and featured highly erotic, provocative and pornographic shows. This was the origin of internet porn.
Barely Legal movement of the 90's begot heroin chique fashion and fetish photography. Photographers as Terry Richardson and Steve Diet Godde encouraged photographs of eroticized young women. Dave Naz and Richard Kern have perfected the art form. Richardson has taken it further as a highly sort after fashion photographer.
A friend of mine once posed the question "What does all this sex on the internet mean. What will become of it". Since the early 2000's many have been introduced to many different sex websites. A counselor once said in the late 90's when a person turns on a computer the first thing they do is log on to a sex site.
Fetish may not have the aesthetics of Masoch or philosophy of Roland Barthes. Much of fetish on the internet overtime has lost meaning as what was alarming in fecal behavior is now silly and stupid.
Perhaps reason for homoeroticism pervading society is the implement of prison culture among men. Young girls becoming lesbian maybe reason as well.
A man bending over to intentionally provoke another man is common. Somehow from personal experience men if not young white men spontaneously cause one to fart. Interpretation was that the scent of it is the cause of arousal. Young black men with their trousers hanging below the hip bone is said to have come from prison culture.
In this world now we are full of asexual, emasculated, butch, lipstick women, homo, transgender and variety of men and women.
Laughably so they carry on in society as discreet as one can be while behind close doors they stay tuned in to their mating rituals and fetish.
