By: N. E. D. Odoi
What it is:
– A revelation that makeup is art and also gender affirming care. Over time, makeup and a “beat face” of various kinds have come to be some of the topmost preferred versions of femininity. And that is why makeup on men makes them look “pretty”. Aside the obvious that they are very cute already (wink wink)
– Makeup, heels and all things pink. In our society today, a lot of things we have deemed “feminine” such as high heels etc were created for men. The colour pink, once upon a time, was also highly favoured as a masculine choice by some men. There was a time that men who wore makeup, wore heels and wore pink were considered the most fashionable and masculine of men.
– Rigid gender norms and homophobia will not allow you to have peace. As this trend is reflecting the talent of a lot of makeup artists and the intentionality that some of the men in their lives show them by agreeing to be their models, it is also causing a lot of women pain for reasons I am sure I can name. Topmost of these is the fragility of femininity. Their socialization has made them, and most of us, believe that femininity is a special treasure that all AFAB (assigned female at birth) people possess and wield. And so it irks that others can possess it also. And they are worried about what men being allowed to express themselves this way will encourage. If the patriarchy has insisted that you be subservient and weak and all that razz, the “gift” it promises you is “a big, strong man will choose you and [remove your shame of singleness]”. If women are being forced to be as submissive as possible, then they want their promised men to be as “dominant” as possible, and are very disappointed that men will allow themselves to be “feminized” and thus not prep themselves to be the dominant rewards for their forced and unnatural submission.
– The Body as a site of political tension and the illusion of “forced / cajoled” as opposed to “chose to/was enthusiastic to”. This trend started with men being seen as reluctant participants in their makeup artist wives/girlfriends/woman relative’s/friend’s shenanigans /business promo. A lot of comments “affectionately” sought to know what these men had been promised to partake in the trend. And what they had been “cajoled with”. It seemed, for a moment, and even maybe up till now, that if a man is ” cajoled” into the makeup chair, then it is not so wrong as a man who chooses to sit in it (without any affiliation/benefit to the makeup artists aside their payment). It would seem that society only wants us to explore alternative “gendered behaviours” not out of choice or personal desire but out of gentle coercion (but coercion nonetheless).
– What it is not: (short for obvious reasons, and cos I am tired)
A “woe is me” cry about the “emasculation” of men in today’s society.
– A foreign attempt to bring “gayness” to the children’s app and social media. If anyone will bring gayness to African algorithms, it will be Africans ourselves because we are so wonderfully gay.
– A site to reinforce harmful and gendered stereotypes inherited from our past/present colonizers. “Oh wow, he looks finer than me, a girl. Eei, then what is my worth?” That’s stupid, Sis, refer to the earlier paragraphs.
– A site to shame men about acting too feminine. Even after the “gentle coercion” and the man is finally in the chair. The face is beat. The gele is done. The video is shot and posted. There is still a quiet requirement from netizens that the man “not act too feminine”. Shh, who said that?
– A site of intense analysis and unpacking. This is a bit (plenty) hypocritical, I know. But sometimes, let trends be, when we try to analyze them and sniff out the root from its wings, especially as Africans / indigenous people, we rob ourselves of an opportunity to watch our culture evolve without Western/ rigid Academic confines and definitions that rob it of its very persona (in a bit to be explained and understood). As formerly colonized, and currently imperialized people, we have the right to forge our cultures for ourselves. To test and see what works, what feels like home, what ensures that we are all safe and free in a just future.
(As I said, this is hypocritical of me to say. But what are we as humans, if not beautiful paradoxes of multiple truths, hypocrisy, a lit bio, and cringe).
Love🩷🩷