OK, I’ll be the first to admit that I get these Andrew Christian videos as soon as they’re out, via an email list (which any consumer can subscribe to) and certainly enjoy seeing hot young men frolicking in Christian’s signature undies and jockstraps (or nothing at all, in a couple of instances). In fact, one of the pleasures of actually living in L.A. is that a lot of these model types live here and you can occasionally see them in the flesh:

And yes, I took the above cell phone video at the West Hollywood Gay Pride Parade last weekend.

But there’s something about this “Audition” video that to me is a little creepy. After all, we’re also the community that just threw Bradley Manning under the bus (probably a subject for a post next week). Is this video just another expression of the general vapidity I see a once highly political and energized group of men falling into?

Let me explain. It’s not the butt-shaking and crotch throbbing I object to — actually, I rather like those parts (I had to watch the video several times just to make sure). What I do have a problem with is this video’s overt position on the value of those in the community outside a very narrow range of physical types.

In the “story” of this video, only the “hot”models are chosen to go to Vegas, and the two who are rejected — are rejected because of 1) a little extra weight  and 2) body hair and 3) perhaps a lack of the right stripper moves.

The two rejects are summarily yanked off the stage by the drag emcee. All in such good fun! It’s not serious, so lighten up!
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The problem is that even such innocuous images have a deeper meaning that’s not hard to miss. Is this what we’re telling people we value? Especially the young men in our community? Because the implicit message I see here is that it’s OK, and desirable, to be a stripper or a drag queen, shave your chest and drink lots of (product positioned) vodka, but it’s not OK to have any kind of body hair or a few extra pounds.

Am I taking it too seriously? It’s underwear, for Chrissakes! Or, maybe you could just say I’m an angry, bitter old queen who saw the last of his good jockstrap days long ago.

So back to my title, Forty Years of Gay Pride (actually 44, but I’m rounding) has brought us to where we all can be Barbie Dolls – exactly – as it has brought us Marriage Equality and the end of DADT and all the other advances. The right to be stupid and shallow and make videos out of it, and the right to market underwear to a population inevitably so tiny you really have to wonder what Mr. Christian’s marketing plan really is.

The absolute right to act stupid. I guess that indeed, it’s a good thing.

Tell me what you think.

P.S. Even I can still do a better cartwheel than that guy in the video. Meanwhile, in Russia. . .