Gay Men and the Arts

Why are so many gay men attracted to the arts? Just asking. BB.

Just answering, I think the whole business of gay men and the arts is another stereotype. Sure, there are lots of gay men who appreciate or who are in the arts, but there are also thousands and thousands of straight actors, musicians, painters, composers, authors, art fans and so on, yet for some reason nobody ever says that heterosexual men are attracted to the arts. If a higher percentage of gay men are attracted to the arts -- and that's a big if -- it may be because gay men may feel freer to indulge in less "macho" pursuits (such as race car driving, steel work, etc.) -- they may feel less pressure to conform -- whereas some straight guys (and closeted gays) may feel that some "soft" or intellectual professions (writing, composing) are not "manly" enough and may raise eyebrows. Of course, the reverse is also true in that some gays (especially closeted ones) and straights overcompensate by taking up the most macho professions they can think of. [And think of all the actors who take up race car driving because acting, to them, is not a manly enough profession.] Lots of men, gay and straight, resist high-brow arts such as opera and ballet because they think of it as "girlie" or something, but it's only their loss.

It's all a load of crap, of course.

There are countless gay men in professions who have nothing to do with the arts, everything from dentists to football players. Now that the huge gay bear community in particular is getting more and more attention it's becoming apparent that gay men can not always be easily categorized -- we come in all varieties. There are a great many gay sports fans and athletes, for instance. Some gay men who are well-rounded individuals will watch a football game one afternoon and go to the theater at night. Ditto for some straight guys.

Gay men come in all shapes and sizes and have all kinds of interests and professions. The same is true for lesbians.