Castro clone

Castro clone is gay slang for an archetypical gay man who appeared in dress and manner as a hyper-masculinized working-class man. The term and image grew out of the heavily gay-populated Castro neighborhood in San Francisco during the late 1970s mirroring the emergence of the modern gay rights movement that had been sparked by both the Stonewall riots in 1969 and the Summer of Love just prior. With an influx of young gay people who were also liberated to express their sexual desires, a culture of idolizing masculinity emerged with rugged working-class men seen as one of the ideals. Visual appearance was inspired by the icons of masculinity portrayed in the works of homoerotic artists such as Tom of Finland [ [http://www.tomoffinlandfoundation.org/ Tom of Finland Foundation ] ] and can be seen as the construction-worker character in the all-gay Village People, and Al Parker, the porn star.

The clone look arose from the 1960s and 1970s Gay Rights Movement, which allowed greater freedom of expression than had previously been acceptable. This new freedom was represented in imagery of the magazines and movies of the time, inspiring a particular gay male style. With a greater acceptance of gay men, there was a fashion towards being seen and identified with the group. Masculine attire such as uniforms, leather or Levi's all served to emphasize the wearer's best assets. Those with buff bodies believed that less was often better, so that their hard work at the gym was evident.

Over time, the look subtly changed and continued to evolve through the 1980s and beyond.

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