Manish or not Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Manish or not - Essay Example The styles of the era created a softer, more feminized version of men’s wear exemplifying the growth of feminism as young men, admittedly as much in rebellion against older generations, were seeking to understand the mystical sense of the ’Otherness’ of the female gender. As the sexual revolution was creating a confusion within the defining factors of gender identification, embracing both aspects of the human experience became popularized and reflected in cultural art and design. In looking at â€Å"Mr. Fish†, the design, texture, and construction of the suit creates the soft aspects of the feminine, while adapting the integrity of a male perspective in clothing. While the experimental periods of the 1960’s and 1970’s was curbed with the onset of the AIDS epidemic in the early 1980’s, the philosophical and theoretical discourse on sexuality that has interwoven identity with sexual desire and expressions has created an environment of on -going contemplation of the meaning of gender within the framework of the human experience. The concept of gender as compared to the concept of sex has been defined as one having to do with cultural and psychological identification, and the other having to do with biological identification. When the physical attributes of an individual does not match the culturally accepted behaviors that identify them as the gender associated with those behaviors, the individual finds themselves in a situation of that is not ideal for socialization. However, the 1960’s saw a time where the cultural norms associating gender to sex were blurred, creating an effect that was reflected in art and design. In looking at the displayed garment â€Å"Mr. Fish† which resides at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, an example of 1960’s design with overtones of androgyny allows for a discussion of gender identity, cultural reflection and philosophy. The