Torch Songs of the Mind
Archive: Culture Low and High
. . . every gay man's dream, every straight man's nightmare . . .
Joan Crawford is Turner Classic Movies Star of the Month and that line was in a promo spot.
That gay men identify with torch singers and actresses is a cliché. Seemed fairly true when I came out. They could drop Tallulah quotes nonstop. Myself, Diana Rigg as Ms. Peel is the only woman I can think of that I might ?‘want?’ to be: omni-competent and good humored.
Charles certainly wouldn?’t mind being Joan Crawford. She?’s far and away his favorite actress. When I watch her movies all I can think is that I wouldn?’t want to be that ill-tempered or in so many fucked up relationships. And she strikes me as too grim and formidable to yearn for.
I wonder how much heteroizing (clearly a word that doesn?’t belong in the dictionary) of gay men has diminished if not eliminated the strong, preferential empathy and association with actresses and female vocalists.
While I don?’t share the trait its vanishing is another step in the elimination of cultural quirkiness, diversity, which is a good thing in itself.
Been too long since I listened to Amos Milsburn
Comments & Trackbacks (URL: )
Feel free to leave a comment on Torch Songs of the Mind.
Please keep your comment on topic.
I'm a happily gay atheist. Homophobic, racist comments and conversion attempts are deleted.
Disagreement is fine but hate speech won't be tolerated. Even if you share my prejudices I'd rather you not insult other people who leave comments here.
This is a personal hobby and shouldn't be confused with a more general sort of public forum or chatroom. you'd like to know more about me check about page.
Thanks, Richard