Queer Signaling
Queer signaling refers to the different methods that individuals in the LGBTQ+ community use to ‘signal’ that they are part of the queer community, predominately through appearance, mannerisms, and coded phrases. These sorts of cues were used throughout history and into modern day by individuals to communicate (either subtly or explicitly) to others in the LGBTQ+ community; this could include expression of sexuality, sexual intentions/wants, or gender identity. Queer signaling is also used to express their sexuality or gender to those outside of the queer community. Individuals throughout history often expressed their queer identity through clothing, which could be affected by the time period, class, region, race, and socioeconomic background of the individual, leading to varying ‘queer styles’ of clothing across time.
1920’s
‘Fairies’ (or Effeminate Gay Men)
New York City, especially districts like the Bowery and Harlem, became a hub for queer culture and development in the early 20th century. It is during this time period that gay men would sometimes assume a more effeminate appearance and/or adopt traditionally feminine mannerisms to catch the attention of other gay men and take the ‘female role’ in any sexual interaction; men who presented this way were called ‘fairies’.[1] Outside of simply dressing in a traditionally feminine manner, ‘fairies’ would also wear certain articles of clothing to communicate their sexuality with the rest of their otherwise ‘normal’ outfit; wearing red ties or neckerchiefs in public is a rather famous example, and was known as a queer signal by fairies, but mostly amongst the queer community, as opposed to those who did not identify as queer.[2] While there were those that gladly participated in being effeminate, there are also accounts of men who did not want to engage in embracing femininity, but felt obligated to due to the stereotypes that had been started by the ‘fairies’[3]
1940s/1950’s
Lesbians
During and after WWII, lesbianism became more apparent and began to have more representation, which led to certain appearance choices by lesbians to communicate their sexuality and find other lesbians. Most lesbian relationships followed the ‘butch/femme’ model, where ‘butch’ lesbians dressed in traditionally masculine attire and often had their hair short while ‘femme’ lesbians presented more ‘womanly’.[4] In her book Her Neighbors Wife: A History of Lesbian Desire Within Marriage (Politics and Culture in Modern America), Lauren Jae Gutterman points out that not all lesbians were ‘butch’ or ‘femme’ all the time; in the case of Della Sofronski, who was married and also had a lesbian lover, looks every part of a typical housewife in some photos with her family, but is also seen in other photos wearing more masculine attire, but for a party rather than everyday.[5] More often, butch lesbians would wear pieces that were more masculine (like a button-up shirt) in addition to ‘normal’ outfits to subtly express themselves. Even articles of clothing that weren’t considered masculine could be used to express their identity; in the case of Carmen Vascones (who identified as a butch lesbian), she felt that wrap skirts were the best way to express her sexuality, and butch lesbians in her school also wore wrap skirts, so it became a way for them to identify each other.[6]
References
- ↑ Chauncey, George (2019). Gay New York. Basic Books. pp. 48–50. Search this book on
- ↑ Cole, Shaun (2000). Don We Now Our Gay Apparel. Berg Pub Limited. pp. 32–33. Search this book on
- ↑ Cole, Shaun (2000). Don We Now Our Gay Apparel. Berg Pub Limited. p. 34. Search this book on
- ↑ Kraus, N (1996). "Desire Work, Performativity, and the structuring of a Community: Butch/Femme Relations of the 1940s and 1950s". Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies. 17 (1): 37. doi:10.2307/3346893. JSTOR 3346893 – via JSTOR.
- ↑ Gutterman, Lauren Jae. Her Neighbors Wife: A History of Lesbian Desire Within Marriage (Politics and Culture in Modern America). Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: University Of Pennsylvania Press. pp. 57–58. Search this book on
- ↑ Genter, Alix (2016). "Appearances Can Be Deceiving: Butch-Femme Fashion and Queer Legibility in New York City, 1945-1969". Feminist Studies. 42 (3): 610. doi:10.15767/feministstudies.42.3.0604 – via JSTOR. Unknown parameter
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