SoVo: Bottom Bias in Gay Culture | Trevor's Blog: Gay Men's Health. LGBTIQ Politics. Academia.

November 17, 2008

SoVo: Bottom Bias in Gay Culture

Filed Under "Gay Men's Health"

Tags: Black gay men, Bottom identity, gay male culture, gay men's health, masculinity, sissyphobia, the South

Atlanta's gay rag, Southern Voice, has an article on bottom stigma! Well how fabulous! It's an interesting (if fairly short) piece that brings up a number of important issue. I like that they begin with a femme top's story who get's assumed to be a bottom because of his sissy gender performance, and interestingly a versatile guy who identifies as vers to avoid the stigma associated with bottoms:

Even in a city with a gay population as large as Atlanta’s, so many aspects of gay sexuality continue to be marginalized or derided. And although many gay men in Atlanta enjoy being penetrated during sex, the term “bottom” is often used as a slur the same way that “gay” is used on school playgrounds.
“They think you’re soft, or femme, or you don’t know how to use your dick,” said a 31-year-old Atlanta resident who asked to be identified as “Greg.”

“I know that’s not what all bottoms are, but that’s what people think,” said Greg, who is usually the receptive partner during anal sex, but doesn’t identify as a bottom. “I am versatile, and I do know how to use my dick, so I’m not lying. But saying I’m versatile might keep people from assuming all these other things about me, just because I like to get fucked.”

They also talk about intersections with race, and in particular how stigma around bottoming in African-American culture is particularly acute. It's provocative stuff! Read it!

(Via LifeLube)

Permalink |

Posted at 10:42 AM. |

Post a Comment (5) |

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.trevorhoppe.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-tb.cgi/483

Comments:

Can I proudly proclaim that I am a bottom with no one using the word "nelly" in front of it?

I AM A BOTTOM!

:-)

Posted by QueerCincinnati at November 17, 2008 4:39 PM

Well, my dear, I have a *fabulous* project for you to contribute to -- news on that in a few days!!! Xoxo

Posted by Trevor Hoppe at November 17, 2008 5:17 PM

I also came across this article on LifeLube. I think we can draw a parallel in this case between queer culture and the history of the relationship between the sexes, and how women, because of their biology, where by default considered to be weaker on a emotional, mental and physical level without taking into considerations other factors. It's crazy that we seem similar attitudes in the queer community. And I think it would be cool to see some more "It's Cool to be a Bottom" media out there.

But just in terms of the names we give these things, who wants to be a "bottom" when you can say you are a "top". It seems so trivial, but I think it has an impact on how we perceive it.

But in any case, total bottom and proud of it.

Posted by J. Clarence at November 19, 2008 1:07 AM

Yes I suppose sexism is certainly underlying these binary categories of top/bottom. I think we need some serious stigma intervention here, though, rather than to concern ourselves with eliminating the categories (a difficult project to say the least).

Posted by Trevor Hoppe at November 20, 2008 9:36 AM

Project? I hear a project!!!

Goodness, now I have to backread your blog -- thank god I had nothing else to do :-) you know, like write a paper.

YEA! Saturday afternoon on TrevorHoppe.com!!!!!!

Posted by QueerCincinnati at November 22, 2008 3:41 PM