| I found this discourse engaging for numerous motivations. Despite being a thirty-one-year-old gay male, I have never witnessed a genuine enthusiasm for Pooh within this demographic, although (and here is where matters become intriguing) my parents addressed me by the moniker "Pooh" since my infancy. Subsequently, I utilized it as a byname for one boyfriend and am presently partnered with someone nicknamed "Tigger" by acquaintances. One might inquire, then, how I haven't discerned the attraction — but truly, I believed it was merely an aspect of gays' comprehensive fascination with Disney. Some reflections: Generally, I believe well-liked childhood personalities strike a chord with adult gays for multiple rationales. Firstly, there's the apparent association with youth, which historically has been cherished in gay culture. Clinging to these personalities mentally constitutes, in my view, a method of decelerating their dismissal from our lives, thus extending childhood. Moreover, these characters are laden with symbolic significance. Numerous of Disney's most celebrated characters draw inspiration from archetypal fairy tales that predate the current era — and thus resonate with everlasting themes, characters, and scenarios. What little girl in a glistening play-gown (and ladies on their wedding day) doesn't feel a bit like Cinderella? What middle-aged-yet-juvenile playboy hasn't been characterized as Peter Pan? Partially, the justifications for these tales and personalities enduring are their nearly universal applicability to individuals within our own existences. Finally, it's imperative to observe that many gay males lack the avenue of "re-participating" in the enjoyment of these characters through child-rearing. Straight parents receive all the exposure to childhood characters they crave (via the three-year-old's incessant viewing of the "Snow White" DVD, the Halloween outfits, the storybooks, etc.) Gay men, lacking this outlet, maybe seek it more actively themselves. So, what about Pooh and his companions mirrors themes frequently observed in gay culture? I believe vigilare tackled many cogent subjects in his entry (the exclusion of feminine personalities, I believe, being a very potent one). Nevertheless, I also deem it crucial to note that these narratives are relatively uncommon in their deficiency of stereotypical gender roles and thinly veiled sexual subtexts. If we consider Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Little Red Riding Hood, and other widely known childhood tales, we perceive a considerable amount of male-female pairing up. Pooh and company, which feature a less conflict-driven narrative structure and are more akin to a mythology in that manner, typically don't "engage" in that. That's my two cents! |