Black-Eyed Boys: Why Do Western Males Of Our Time Wear Make-Up?

Within my dissertation, I intended to explore the reasons why males within a Western culture wear make-up. Although there are historical precedents for this behaviour, currently, for men to wear make-up goes against both mainstream fashion, and the prescribed masculine gender-role. Using a combination of textual resources, personal observations and interviews with male cosmetics-users, I found that such behaviour could be rooted in a desire for beautification (and its associations with reproductive success), attention, rebellion, self-expression, group identification, and/or emulation. Of all these contributing factors, beautification was found to have the greatest import, and although it might not have been the prompt to begin wearing make-up, for many men was their main reason to continue.

Main Body:

Preface

Introduction

Gender Classifications

Men, Masculinity & Make-Up

Sex and Gender Roles

Peers & Adolescence & Rebellion

Stealing From Your Idols

Mating Ritual

Beautification

Conclusion

Bibliography & Other Credits

Appendices:

1 – Dictionary of Terminology

2 – Discussions of Gender

3 – Discussions of Masculinity

5 – Music & Make-up

6 – Film & Make-up

7 – Comedy & Make-up

© Isabelle Adam, 2000

Last revised: 16/08/01