"By defining the metrosexual as a high-end consumer, derived from gay stereotypes, Simpson has provided the 'buzz word' needed by marketers to target and expand a profitable market." C O N S U M I N G Q U E E R ! The Commodification of Culture and its Effects on Social Acceptance M I C H A E L J. Y A K S I C H C O N S U M E R S H A V E B E C O M E A T T R A C T E D T O " E X O T I C " O R C U L T U R A L L Y R E L A T E D T R E N D S . B Y E X T R A C T I N G A N D C O N S U M I N G S T Y L E S A N D C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S A S S O C I - A T E D W I T H M A R G I N A L I Z E D C U L T U R E S , S O C I E T Y E L I M I N A T E S D I V E R S I T Y T H O U G H H O - M O G E N I Z A T I O N . R E C E N T L Y P O P U L A R T E L E V I S I O N P R O G R A M S S U C H A S QUEER EYE FOR THE STRAIGHT GUY, W H I C H D E P I C T S T H E M A K E - O V E R O F A S T R A I G H T M A L E B Y F I V E G A Y H O S T S , D I S P L A Y S C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S A S S O C I A T E D W I T H T H E G A Y C O M M U - N I T Y A L L O W I N G F O R T H E A B S O R P T I O N O F S T E R E O T Y P E S . F O L L O W I N G T H I S , T H E C O N - F I G U R A T I O N O F T H E " M E T R O S E X U A L " B Y M A R K E T E R S H A S A L L O W E D S T R A I G H T M A L E S T O A D O P T T H E P O S I T I V E Q U E E R S T Y L E S . D I S C U S S I O N G R O U P S W E R E C O N V E N E D T O V I E W A N E P I S O D E O F QUEER EYE T O D I S C U S S T H E P R O G R A M A N D T H E P O R T R A Y A L O F G A Y I M A G E S . F O C U S G R O U P S I N D I C A T E T H A T T H E P R O G R A M I S A P O S I T I V E S I G N O F A C C E P T A N C E A L T H O U G H I T R E I N F O R C E S M A I N S T R E A M S T E R E O T Y P E S . B O T H Q U E E R E Y E A N D T H E M E T R O S E X U A L A R E A R E S U L T O F T H E B R E A K D O W N H E T E R O S E X U A L G E N - D E R N O R M S A N D P R O D U C T I O N A N D R E D I S T R I B U T I O N O F S T E R E O T Y P E S W H I C H G E N - E R A T E P R O F I T I N A C O N S U M E R S O C I E T Y . I N S T E A D O F D I S P E L L I N G S T E R E O T Y P E S , P R O - G R A M S L I K E QUEER EYE R E - I N S C R I B E A N D V A L I D A T E T H E S E I M A G E S . W H I L E T H E P R E S E N C E O F G A Y C H A R A C T E R S I N T H E M E D I A S H O W S A M O V E M E N T T O W A R D S G R E A T E R A C C E P T A N C E O F H O M O S E X U A L I T Y , T H E C O M M O D I F l C A T I O N O F G A Y S T E R E O - T Y P E S D E M O N S T R A T E S T H E H E G E M O N I C N A T U R E O F M A S S C U L T U R E A N D T H E J U S T I F I - C A T I O N O F E X P L O I T A T I O N T H R O U G H T O L E R A N C E . "Commodijication prefabricates culture into easy to consume products and images that allow the dominant culture to utilize stereotypes in constructing 'lifestyles'for consumption." The commodification of culture is a process through which the habits of the consumption of real commodities spread into relationships with culture. This results in the liquida- tion of cultural traditions whereby fundamentals of a par- ticular culture are taken from their traditional context and engaged as "free-floating [postmodern] signifiers, put to decorative uses for removed from their original refer- ences."1 With the rise of global capitalism i n the mid-1970s, mass production and marketing replaced traditional pro- duction and began to form a saturated and sophisticated market system. As a result, culture is drawn into corporate production in an effort to target niche markets, while indi- viduals are increasingly socialized to engage culture with the same habits they employ in consumption. As American consumer culture reacts to the introduction of new products, marketers strive to profit by presenting new styles in the form of trends. In recent instances the marketing industry has homogenized traits associated with marginalized cultures, allowing for the consumption of stereotypes.11 Specifically, the visibility of the gay commu- nity has come to depend on the exploitation of stereotypes via mass media and the marketing industry. 1 1 1 These stereo- types include "an obsession with fashion, cultural trends, and overt expressions of femininity. " 1 V While cultural visi- bility is essential to a positive portrayal of gay individuals, the commodification of gay culture may perpetuate nega- tivity. Images of middle-class gay consumers define queer identities only i n terms of "style, textuality, or performance play [to] produce imaginary gay/queer subjects that keep invisible the division of wealth and labor these images de- pend on. " v Commodified imagery also disguises homosex- uals who are manual workers, unemployed, or impri- soned. One quarter to a half a mil l ion homosexual and bisexual youths are thrown out of their homes and endure violence i n the streets.71 The dissection of these ex- periences, via commodification, must be addressed for progress to be made. Postmodernism links the effects of consumerism and media-saturation to the modern development of industrial, capitalist societies. Once a system of production was estab- lished, consumption began to grow, and people needed to acquire a leisure or consumer ethic i n addition to a work ethic. V 1 1 A n increase in affluence and types of conspicuous consumption drove the process, precipitating a growth i n consumer credit, advertising, marketing, and the "emer- gence of a postmodern popular culture which celebrates consumerism, hedonism and style, "vi i i The rise of mass media also contributed to the commodification of culture by portraying the dominant norms that assist in the assim- ilation of marginalized cultures. Modern consumer culture currently considerers the term 'lifestyle' in vogue. Within "contemporary consumer cul- ture it connotes individuality, self-expression, and a stylis- tic self-consciousness" which establishes taste and a sense of style. 1 X Mike Feather stone explains that, rather than ac- cepting gay culture, lifestyles "display their individuality and sense of style in the particularity of the assemblage of goods, clothes, practices, experiences, and appearance and bodily disposition they design" regardless of stereotypes.x Commodification prefabricates culture into easy to con- sume products and images that allow the dominant culture to utilize stereotypes i n constructing "lifestyles" for consumption. E L E M E N T S S P R I N G 05 Theorist Antonio Gramsci defines hegemony as a cultural and ideological means whereby the dominant groups in so- ciety maintain their dominance by securing the "consent" of subordinate groups. x l This "consent" is achieved by ne- gotiating the construction of a political and ideological con- sensus which incorporates all groups. Gramsci states that hegemony "assimilated the world-view of the dominant group; an assimilation which allows the group" to extend its cultural norms over those of other groups and even assim- ilate marginalized groups in an effort to remain prin- cipal.™ As homogenization and assimilation lead the media to state that differences no longer exist, the corn- modification of queer transgresses cultural taboos sur- rounding sexuality. The commodification of difference promotes paradigms of consumption wherein difference is eradicated, via exchange, by a consumer who not only dis- places the Other but also denies the significance of that Other's life-story by decontextualization. C O M M O D I F Y I N G Q U E E R By presenting the makeover tactics of five gay male hosts, television's popular reality program, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, has captured the attention of millions. The program, which appears on Bravo x m , depicts five profes- sionals including interior and fashion designers, culinary and cultural experts, and a hair stylist, who redesign numerous aspects of a selected straight participant's wardrobe, apartment, and mannerisms i n an attempt to make h i m trendier. x l v The five hosts' use of flam- boyant forms of presentation, while entertaining main- stream audiences, reinforces stereotypes that surround the gay community. The program entertains viewers i n a manner that screens them from the non-stereotypical aspects of the gay com- munity. Mass media "has to balance the need of majority interests against those of specialized minorities." x v It is a reflection of the homogenized middle whose "tyranny of audience ratings and readership studies forces a consis- tency on content that is designed to attract the most" by screening content for its audiences.XV1 Media use this method because it is easier to depict preexisting ideas surrounding a culture than introducing new ones. This "is a paradox because the increased visibility of mar- ginalized groups often creates restrictions and recycles old stereotypes."50' 1 1 This paradox allows for a more effort- less consumption of ideas that might otherwise be con- sidered proscribed. I n portraying stereotypes, the media allow for society to be "embracing [of] images of gay life but still all too reluctant of a society readily embracing the realities of gay identi- t ies ."™ 1 1 The society "we live in is deeply conflicted about homosexuality but no longer able to deny its existence. " X 1 X Media tactics "makes gay people simultaneously an ideal group for niche marketing and for the containment inher- ent in commodification to straight consumers."X K While gay individuals may appear more in entertainment, depictions of their coming-out stories and cultural styles have either been transformed into mainstream versions or ignored. I n relation to Queer Eye, the openly gay hosts are valued only as entertainment and a means for profit. As en- tertainers, who appear only on television, they no longer threaten society with their way of life. The gay individual has moved from being hidden and ridiculed, to out of "the closet" to perform. Guy Debord terms this "the spectacle," stating that " i n societies where modern conditions of pro- duction prevail, all of life presents itself as an immense ac- cumulation of spectacles. Everything that was directly lived has moved away into representation."™ The spectacle, which surrounds the practices and lives of its members, drives American consumer society. I n consuming the media-propagated spectacle of the gay man, the consumer internalizes the stereotypes that surround it. Programs like Queer Eye have a duplicitous nature which both help and hurt the gay community. While offering self- grooming and personal wellness advice, the program uses stereotypical hosts to convey to the audience how the "queer eye" is stereotypically better than the straight one. By "mainstreaming homosexuality, we are homogenizing the gay society to a point in which that they are believed to dress and act similar in all fashions of their l ives." x x n This ho- mogenization could either damage gay culture by reinforc- ing a spectacle of reality or help it by existing in a time in which homosexuality was once considered a mental disor- der x x i i i and taboo. 5 0^ The presence of popular gay programs such as Queer Eye in the media within the past 5 to 8 years demonstrates that marketers have focused on the idea of targeting a profitable gay market. Advertisers consider the gay consumer a "dream market." According to research conducted in 1997 by Simmons Market Research Bureau, the gay market was found to have an estimated spending power reaching $35 billion per year.30^ Dr. Daniel Wardlow, Associate Professor of Marketing at San Francisco State University, stated, "As a 'dream market' gays and lesbians are reported to have sig- nificantly higher-than-average disposable incomes and a near-rabid desire for consumption."^ 1 In contrast, gay economist M.V. Lee Badgett released a study entitled Income Inflation: The Myth of Affluence Among Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Americans, released by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, 5 0™ 1 that indi- cated that "the gay population's average wealth is no different than that of heterosexuals." The 1998 study, which was an update to the 1990 U.S. census and General Social Survey, stated that "most marketing studies have mistakenly focused on upscale gays and does not accurately reflect the gay population." X X V 1 1 1 The depiction of this "dream market," whether correct or exaggerated, in combi- nation with preexisting stereotypes, has contributed to the development of a new image to expand a lucrative consumer segment. T A R G E T I N G T H E C O N S U M E R : M A R K E T I N G T H E " M E T R O S E X U A L " In 1994 Mark Simpson, a British writer, coined the term "metrosexual" shortly after the publication of his book Male Impersonators: Men Performing Masculinity.™* Simpson's aim in creating this term was to offer a slightly satirical cri- tique on the effects of consumerism and media prolifera- tion on traditional masculinity. In describing the term, Simpson stated, "gay men provided the early prototype for metrosexuality."5 0 0 5 They are mostly "decidedly single, defi- nitely urban, dreadfully uncertain of their identity (hence the emphasis on pride and the susceptibility to the latest label) and socially emasculated. Gay men pioneered the business of accessorizing - and combining - masculinity and desirability." 5 0 0" Simpson's definition of the metro- sexual, derived from gay stereotypes, raises interesting questions around the descriptor as a marketed idea. Metrosexuality is a result of the production and redistri- bution of stereotypes that generate profit in a consumer society. The distinction refers to a male who has taken on fashionable characteristics, via consumption, that are stereotypically associated with homosexuality. Its existence is owed to the gay individual and his perceived excessive consumption habits. With the formation of the metrosex- ual, queer culture is being homogenized into a single stereotype that is easily absorbed by mass culture. In Eating the Other: Desire and Resistance author bell hooks states that modern depictions of the Other, marginalized minorities, have been transformed through a consumer culture that seeks to profit off of perceived difference. From this it can be noted that "the commodification of difference promoted paradigms of consumption wherein whatever difference the Other inhabits is eradicated, via exchange, by a con- sumer. ' , x x x u For much of the twentieth century, gay males relied upon the feminine image as a means to express their sexuality. From this notion came the culturally accepted association of homosexuality with feminine fashions. In 1965, J.L. Simmons believed that these stereotypes stemmed from two parts: "Stereotypes are variable: at one extreme they may be myths invented from superstition and misinforma- tion; at the other verified [they are] scientific generaliza- tions. They may be prejudices immune to reality testing or they may be tentative appraisals with the built in notion that their validity and applicability to all class members is prob- lematic." 5 0 0 ' 1 1 1 In the absence of any other information the effeminate stereotype became a template for the gay man's expression of sexuality. From these stereotypes the metro- sexual not only forms his appearance but also does not have E L E M E N T S S P R I N G 05 to denounce it by acting more masculine. 5 0 0 0^ I n a January 2005 interview Simpson stated that "Metrosexuality is problematic because it speaks openly what should not be spoken i n that kind of grouping: the possibility of male desirability and by implication, passivity. , , x x x v This observa- tion of consumer culture and masculinity provides fur- ther insight into how metrosexuality may garner social acceptance via the possibility of challenge of norms. The perception that gay men are trendy pioneers of shop- ping for stylish and tasteful articles of clothing is supported by the notion that "the gay quest for distinction is based The report surveyed 510 single males between the ages of 21-48 and 548 with wives. 82 percent of the male sample considered good grooming essential for businessmen today and the majority saw nothing wrong with a man get- ting a facial.5 0™* The report also stated that 76 percent of those surveyed considered themselves as "easygoing," 74 percent as "caring," and 68 percent as "open-minded." x l I n contrast, many traditional male attributes were given a very low rating. "The metrosexual represents the tipping point of a shift that parallels the process—though not the passion or the politicization—of the women's movement," says Marian Salzman, Chief Strategy Officer at Euro RSCG Metrosexuality is a result of the production and redistribution of stereotypes that generate profit in a consumer society." on a more complex and subtle dynamic" which uses subcultural appearance standards i n competition through consumption. 3 0 0™ 1 Marketers then "ransack the vast ar- ray of cultural traditions in order to produce interesting and exotic material for wider audiences" i n an effort to profit. 5 0 0™ 1 Simpson's description of the metrosexual portrays h i m as a consumer who values products that hold high cultural value and give way to individual distinction. By defining the metrosexual as a high-end consumer, derived from gay stereotypes, Simpson has provided the "buzz word" needed by marketers to target and expand a profitable market. This market expansion was first conceived by the marketing in- dustry after the article, Meet the Metrosexual, in which Mark Simpson described the metrosexual. 5 0 0™ 1 1 1 Interna- tional advertising giant EURO RSCG, which holds 233 offices worldwide, decided to conduct several metrosexual focus groups in the New York metropolitan area to discover i f the metrosexual market was lucrative. After holding groups, the company published a report entitled The Future of Men in which the consumer habits of metrosexual men were examined. Worldwide and one of the architects of the study. x i l " I n the 1900s, women had to struggle to win parity with men. I n this new century, men—still the dominant gender—are finding the courage to explore the female domain without fear of losing their status as 'real' men. As the survey re- sults show, more and more men are willing to take that r i sk . " x l u The report conducted by EURO RSCG was in- tended not only to gain a better understanding of the emerging metrosexual market, but also to advertise an up- coming trend. F R O M C O M M O D I F I C A T I O N TO S O C I A L A C C E P T A N C E The relationship between the commodification of culture and acceptance of homosexuality is ambiguous. The inten- sified marketing of gay images is less indicative of a grow- ing acceptance of homosexuality than of capitalism's appropriation of gay "styles" for mainstream audiences. Queer visibility is vital to "prepare the ground for gay civil rights protection [and] affirmative images of lesbians and gays in the mainstream media," and can assist i n further ex- posure in the dominant cu l ture . x l m Rosemary Hennessy states in the article Queer Visibility in Commodity Culture C O N S U M I N G Q U E E R : T H E C O M M O D I F I C A T I O N O F C U L T U R E A N D ITS E F F E C T S O N S O C I A L A C C E P T A N C E that, "Visibility i n commodity culture is in this sense a l im- ited victory for gays who are welcome to be visible as a con- sumer subjects but not as social subjects." x l i v The increase in gay images in consumer culture affects audiences by per- petuating stereotypes, and thus possibly limits the knowl- edge that is essential i n advocating acceptance. A study entitled The Effect of Consumer Prejudices on Ad Processing: Heterosexual Consumers' Responses to Homo- sexual Imagery in Ads documents how consumers react to ads subjectively on the basis of their membership in groups defined by ethnicity or gender, or their life themes or expe- riences. The authors examine how heterosexuals react to the portrayals of homosexuals i n advertisements. The re- search finds that "heterosexuals' emotional and attitudinal responses to a homosexual ad depend on their general attitude toward homosexuality" and that the "more expo- sure an individual had to homosexuals the more positive their reactions were." x l v The results demonstrate the di- verse opinions of consumers regarding social issues such as homosexuality. To further examine public opinion concerning homosexu- ality in the context of consumer culture data, expansions on the General Social Survey have been collected. Given the attention given to the gay community in recent years, the statistics may show a trend in acceptance due to wider media exposure. Differences between males and females in the USA according to General Social Survey data found that female's opinions changed more than males in accepting homosexuality. x l v i Attitudes towards homosex- uality have traditionally been one of the very few areas where females equal or exceed males in the acceptance of a sexual behavior. Recent data from Gallup and Pew Research polls indicate that Americans feel some tension between their desire to be fair to those who are different from themselves and a l in- gering unease with homosexuality itself. A 2003 Gallup survey indicated that while 47 percent of Americans strongly or not-strongly believe homosexuality should be accepted by society, 46 percent believed that it should be discouraged. x l v n While Americans are split over the issue of acceptance, surveys demonstrate that acceptance of gays and lesbians has risen significantly. 2004 survey data show that 54 percent of Americans believe homosexuality should be an acceptable lifestyle. x I v i i i I n determining levels of acceptance, television programs have utilized the role of consumer society to extend trends and challenge gender norms. The program He's A Lady transforms several heterosexual males into women and has them accomplish feminine tasks, including weekly chal- lenges which "include learning how to walk, talk and dress like a lady, followed by going out in public to find out how convincing they are; learning to flaunt their new attitude with t ra in ing . " x l l x This gender switch demonstrates a new level of exposure for the gay community. Judith Butler de- FICURE 1-1 Pew Research Center June 2003 Americans are div ided on whether homosexual ity should be accepted or discouraged by society Sample: 1,000 adults M e t h o d o l o g y : Telephone interview conducted June 4-8, 2003 N o t e : Percentages may not add to T O O percent because o f r o u n d i n g scribes in her book Gender Trouble a rearticulation of gen- der identity and sex and gender limitations. She states, "drag exposes the heterosexual matrix as a fabrication and sex as a performatively enacted signification." 1 In relation- ship to consumer culture, the performances which partici- pants take part in on He's A Lady allows for the fabrication of identity. While this is a reaction against dominant cul- ture, it maintains that heterosexuality is "real," exposing a "pseudo-original" copy or representation that perpetuates dominance. Despite the increased exposure, these repre- sentations of stereotypes and gender twists are superficial and may not affect acceptance of the gay community. Acceptance of homosexuality has risen over the decades, yet exposure via consumer culture may l imit the circulation of true-to-life gay images. Whether commodifiying a partic- ular culture actually increased acceptance of the culture being commodified is hard to ascertain. While media por- trayals provide wider exposure, commodification also as- similates trends and styles into the dominant culture. These trends assist in devaluing the gay community's lived experience and problems while providing pseudo-false in- formation to consumers. A consumer culture that utilizes trends allows for the continuation of these labels and stereotypes. F O C U S I N G T H E T O P I C ! IS T H E R E A T R E N D ? After the initial introduction of metrosexuality into the mainstream by the St. John's article and the efforts of EURO RSCG, it becomes important to ascertain how view- ers of Queer Eye, a pinnacle of the phenomenon, relate to the commodified images of gays. A university in the New England area was selected as a site from which to assemble focus groups and gather data from college age students. Male, female, and male/female groups, consisting of six students per group, were formed. The all male group con- sisted of five students and the all female group consisted of six students. The 36 participants were selected randomly from those who responded to advertising for the study. The following quotations reflect a sample of the data collected. In engaging with an all male focus group, members en- joyed Queer Eye while offering criticism of the straight male participant in the episode. The group's reaction to interac- tions between the hosts and participant demonstrated how the gay individual is a pure object for entertainment and when displaced the reassertion of masculinity is unneces- sary. " I think that it adds to the humorous value of the show, but I don't know i f it advanced the whole acceptance of gay rights any further because it just projects them as like the stereotypes" (M2). From this notion group member M3 mentioned that " I don't think you could be like that in real life. But they still are so damn funny it's sick." Much of these responses show how the participants enjoyed the pro- gram for its entertainment value, but when asked what they felt about the show in relationship to how the majority of Americans may think about the gay community, they re- sponded by stating that " i t reinforces stereotypes and pos- sibly limits acceptance" (M2). The subject of acceptance brought about ideas surrounding the purpose of the program in relationship to the stereo- types the group believed it reinforced. Group members were very quick to note that "ratings are the main purpose of the show. Ratings equal money" (M2). The mention of ratings led to the observation that "the show may be skewed towards the flamboyant side to do well on television, but they do not do a good job of representing everyone" (M4). "They play off of the two extreme stereotypes. So, like these flamboyantly gay people come into the chip eating, Bud drinkin', football watchin' guys house... and they fix h i m up" ( M 3 ) . The conversation turned to the issue of acceptance of the gay community by mainstream society, in relation to pro- grams like Queer Eye. " I think what started off as a stereo- type for the gay man is becoming sort of our pop culture's belief, and the majority of people in America believe that this is more than a stereotype," stated M3. A serendipitous idea that emerged from this exchange was the 'coming- out' of M3 as a metrosexual and how the group reacted to the concept. C O N S U M I N G Q U E E R : T H E C O M M O D I F I C A T I O N O F C U L T U R E A N D I T S E F F E C T S O N S O C I A L A C C E P T A N C E The idea surrounding gay male and metrosexual consumer trends sparked comments such as "people think it is trendy to have a gay friend right now" (Mi) and the observation that, "people are buying into the stereotype and want the as- sociated expertise that comes along with being gay" (M3). They also recognized that "Ten years ago we wouldn't be able to have this discussion about how we all feel that gay- ness is trendy because it was taboo and just not talked about." (M3). Group members valued the presence of a gay program on television, and the opportunity for discussion it provides. From the reactions regarding how society viewed the gay community, it was clear that the group identified a "gay trend" that "demonstrated a trend at this point in time, sell- ing itself, by making it trendy to look nice like they do" (M4). While exposing the gay community to mainstream culture was considered to still be positive, the group viewed with caution the idea that the continuation of stereotypes in the mainstream could hurt the community in the future. Female group members also discussed both the stereotypi- cal portrayal of the hosts and how the program's entertain- ment value was important to the show's popularity and media exposure. " I n some ways this is the first TV show based upon gay men doing anything, it's something show- ing how things are changing in the media" (F3). Al l mem- bers of the female group believed that the program was en- tertaining and the exposure of gay individuals to the general public was a positive step. In an effort to change the conversation about gay stereo- types, the focus of the end of the conversation, F6 stated that her "guy friend wears all these [trendy] things, but he also identifies himself as a gay-straight man." This state- ment led the group into a frenzy of excitement over the topic. "Oh my god, I know that word. It's metrosexual," stated F2. The understanding of metrosexuality by F2 demonstrates the filtering down into society of this new so- cial trend and term. The identifications of metrosexuality by group members demonstrate how this new term has begun to permeate into popular culture. This is further supported by the act of self identification that group mem- bers stated. The results of the focus groups support the the- ory that the marketing industry is succeeding in forming a new demographic. D I S C U S S I O N Within popular American culture, people seek out what is different establish individuality. 1 1 In searching for this con- sumer individuality, presenting oneself as or with the gay man may confirm one's positionality. 1 1 1 The metrosexual is an example of American consumer culture's desire for marketable stereotypes. Marketers, such as EURO RSCG mainstream a stereotypical version of homosexuality by ho- mogenizing it. As gay individuals are colonized by the ma- jority culture, they may be absorbed by the dominant cul- ture, even i f it excludes or diminishes them. The results of focus groups show that the consumption of queer has permeated American culture. While enjoying the entertainment value of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, focus groups commented on the perpetuation of stereotypes. These stereotypes, which include knowledge of fashion, style, and personal care, were then later reintroduced to de- scribe the metrosexual. Participants saw the formation of the metrosexual as something that was not necessarily good or bad, but instead new and trendy. I n a society that thrives from the very nature of what it is consuming, the possibility that consuming queer wi l l re- sult i n wider acceptance of the gay community seems prob- lematic. The high turnover rates of consumer trends may mean that the metrosexual and television programs that feature gay casts may also be considered a consumer trend. Metrosexuality is not necessarily a signal of wider accept- ance of homosexuality by mainstream society. The metro- sexual, according to Simpson's definition and marketing efforts, is identified solely based upon consumption habits and mannerisms. Simpson stated that this signals that "every aspect of masculinity wi l l be commodified and sold back to men - especially when it is sold as being 'authentic' or 'traditional'." 1 1 1 1 Consumption devalues the lived experi- E L E M E N T S S P R I N G 05 FIGURE 1-2 Pew Research Center Various years Acceptance o f homosexual ity has grown s ignif icant ly Sample: 1,000 adults [The number o f respondents varied f r o m year to year] M e t h o d o l o g y : Telephone interview conducted various years N o t e : Percentages may not add to T O O percent because o f r o u n d i n g 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 54%' 35% • NOT ACCEPTABLE ACCEPTABLE . 38%' • 5 0 % . -44% ' . 51%- •45%. -52%- -44% - -54% •42% 2002 2004 ences of the homosexual while assuming the positive styles and traits with which it is associated. "For the time being...there is nothing straight about metrosexuality. The appeal of metrosexuality for many is precisely the trans- gressive association with homosexuality" and may not be a signal wider acceptance. l lv The relationship between consumer trends and social ac- ceptance demonstrates the influence of the new consumer culture. The commodification of homosexuals and other marginalized cultures calls into question the ethics of mod- ern consumption. At this point, it is unrealistic to expect media alone to encourage challenges to societal norms of sexuality, gender, consumption, and class. But i f television is where a conversation about human sexuality is taking place, it may at least be a starting point.lv I n the end, con- sumers must begin to value and learn from the differences that exist between cultures and communities i n order to bring about true social acceptance. E N D N O T E S i Featherstone (1991) i i Hebdige (1979) i i i hooks (1992) iv Hennessey (1994) v Hennessy (1994) vi Galst (1992) vi i Strinati (1995) v i i i Strinati (1995) ix Featherstone (1991) x Featherstone (1991) xi Gramsci (1971) xi i Ransome (1992) xi i i Bravo is owned and oper- ated by the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), which is wholly owned by General Electric. xiv Queer Eye (2003) xv Bowes (1996) xvi Bowes (1996) xvii Walters (2001) xviii Walters (2001) xix Schulman (1998) xx Schulman (1998) xxi Debord (1977) xxii Gross (1989) xxiii The American Psychiatric Association decided that homosexuality is not itself a psychiatric disor- der. The change was an amendment to the official Diagnostic and Statistical Manual o f Mental Disorders. The decision was also impart to the political struggle, and successful social movement and impact or counter culture i n the 1960's (Spector, 1978, p.30). xxiv Debord (1977) xxv Chasin (2000) xxvi Wardlow (1996) xxvii Walters (2001) xxviii Badgett (1998) xxix The introduction of the term metrosexual into main- stream American consumer culture occurred i n the New York Times article Metro- sexuals Come Out i n which the writer, Warren St. John, interviewed several metrosex- uals i n New York City after discovering the report by EURO RSCG (St. John, 2003, p.1,9). xxx Simpson (2003a) xxxi Simpson (2003a) xxxii hooks (1992) xxxhi Simmons (1965) xxxiv B reward (1999 xxxv Yaksich (2005) xxxvi Kates (2002) xxxvii Featherstone (1991) xxxviii Simpson (2003b) xxxix Metrosexual Man (2003) C O N S U M I N G Q U E E R : T H E C O M M O D I F I C A T I O N O F C U L T U R E A N D I T S E F F E C T S O N S O C I A L A C C E P T A N C E http://point.lv xlvi i Princeton (2003) xlvi i i Gallup (2004) xlix He's A Lady (2004) 1 Butler (1990) l i Kates (2002) Hi hooks (1992) l i i i Yaksich (2005) liv Yaksich (2005) lv Gamson (2005) xl Metrosexual Man (2003) xl i Metrosexual Man (2003) xl i i Metrosexual Man (2003) x l i i i Hennessy (1994) xliv Hennessy (1994) xlv Bhat, Leigh, and Wardlow (1998) xlvi Bhat, Leigh, and Wardlow (1998) REFERENCES Badgett, M . 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