104. The Castro Clone Wars

Snarky Opener (0:00)

He had them tight Levi jeans, boots, and lip fur. The clones were taken over.

Episode Introduction (0:28)

Hello, my LGBTQuties, and welcome back to another episode of A Jaded Gay. I'm Rob Loveless, and today, I am a non-jaded gay because I just did a deep clean of my house, and I love it.

For me, cleaning is something super relaxing. I know a lot of people hate to clean but I just, I feel so good doing it. I like knowing that I'm in a nice, clean house with everything organized, put away. It helps me just relax.

So, I feel very productive and successful having gotten that done today.

Castro Clones (0:54)  

Anyway, from cleaning up the house to cleaning out the closet. Today, we are talking about the Castro Clones.

So last year, when I did the episode on if mustaches were gay, I came across the term Castro Clone, which I had never heard of before. And then, in subsequent episodes like the history of gay gym, culture, and metrosexuality, the term popped back up.

And we briefly touched upon what the Castro Clone archetype was, but I wanted to do a deeper dive. So, comb that mustache, zip up those 501 jeans, and strap on those boots because we are about to get into it.

But first, let's pull the tarot card.

Tarot (1:32)  

So, the card for this episode is the Ace of Cups. Cups, as you may remember, it's tied to the element of water, which is feminine energy.

And Cups has a lot to do with our emotions. So, you can think about water flowing freely. And so, because this deals with emotions, sometimes this is an uncomfortable suit for people, but it's actually one of my favorites.

Cups is feminine in energy, so it's asking us to reflect and meditate. And Aces are the first card in the Minor Arcana suits. So, in typical tarot depictions, the Ace card in the suits shows a hand in thin air, bringing an elemental gift to kind of help you begin your journey in that suit.

It's number one, so it's tied to the individual and starting a new journey. And so, the Ace of Cups, it can signify a few things. It typically arrives when you're open to some kind of creative expression. Especially when that expression is a display of your emotions.

And so, it might be inspiring us to start something new, whether it's a new project, a new relationship, a new venture, whatever it may be. So really, we need to take the time to reflect on our emotions and see what feels right to us so we can better understand what gives us emotional fulfillment.

And in doing so, we can say yes to opportunities that will help us expand upon that fulfillment and drive us in the right direction as we go through our journey of Cups.

What is a Castro Clone? (2:42)

So, with that in mind, let's get right into the episode by talking about what a Castro Clone is.

So, you might remember from previous episodes. It's LGBTQ+ slang for a homosexual man who appears in dress and style as an idealized working-class man.

And sometimes, this was shortened to just Clone. And probably one of the best examples of this kind of fashion is the Village People, which we'll get into.

And the name Castro Clone originated from San Francisco's Castro District, more commonly referred to as the Castro, which was an early gay neighborhood in the United States.

The History of the Castro District (3:15)

According to PBS, the Castro is a neighborhood in San Francisco's Eureka Valley. While it began as a sparsely populated ranchos belonging to Mexican land barons, Irish, German, and Scandinavian families began settling in the area in the 1880s.

It was primarily occupied by the working class and had commercial autonomy with plenty of bars. And over the years, the city of San Francisco gained a reputation for relative openness.

After the Great Depression, when the economy began picking up again, San Francisco hosted the Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island. This exposition drew in 17 million people from around the world, and Treasure Island later became a major embarkation and naval training center.

During World War II, thousands of military personnel came to San Francisco on their way to and from the Pacific battlefronts. And during this time, the US military actively sought out gay and lesbian service members and dishonorably discharged them solely on the basis of their sexual orientation. As a result, the LGBTQ+ population in San Francisco began growing steadily since a number of military personnel from the Pacific area were dishonorably discharged in the Bay Area.

Post World War II, LGBTQ+ veterans remembered the city as being tolerant and returned there after the war. Also, in the 1950s, the decline of the Castro neighborhood in the post-war years, FHA-backed mortgages, and the increase of automobiles caused a great migration to the suburbs. And then during San Francisco's post-industrial years in the 70s, many white-collar workers came to the city.

So, with all this going on, we have white-collar gay men and gay couples with money moving into the Castro as straight families are moving out to the suburbs. Here's a quote:

"In the late 1960s into the 1970s, this gay influx gave the blue-collar Eureka Valley neighborhood in the vicinity of Castro and 18th streets a new social identity. Countercultural homosexuals gave rise to a movement of epic proportion with its own dress code, prejudices, leaders, political figures, economic base, and ensuing problems.

Castro Street, the main business section of Eureka Valley, gave the neighborhood its new name, the Castro. The changes in the Castro were not just social, they were also political, cultural, and economic. The power from this emerging community exerted a real influence on San Francisco politics."

Also, fun fact, one of the best-known residents of the Castro District was Harvey Milk.

Mustaches in the ‘60s and ‘70s (5:46)

Now, as we talked about in the mustaches episode, in the '60s and '70s, mustaches represented the average Joe or the blue-collar working man. So, it aligned to the status quo, such as firemen or cops.

Mustaches were also seen as quote-unquote a form of rebellion against authority, particularly military masculinity. Previously, mustaches had ties to the military. But during this time, armies around the world began to lose the stache. So, wearing one became a sign of nonconformity.

And it was also tied with swingers and porn stars. So, the stash was also associated with sexual deviancy. 

So, this sense of sexual freedom and deviancy associated with the mustache, along with its socio-political ties and the representation of the working man led to the exaggeration of the hyper-masculine aesthetic that reigned during the decade, and gay men ended up appropriating it.

Castro Clone Etymology (6:38)

And in the late '70s, the term Castro Clone was first used by gay rights advocate and author Arthur Evans. 

And Evans seems like a really interesting person. He was very into paganism and witchcraft and fairies, and he later adopted the pen name the Red Queen and distributed controversial street leaflets in the Castro.

His first leaflet was entitled, Afraid You're Not Butch Enough? And in it, he satirized the new butch-conforming men of the gay ghetto as Clones, which created the term Castro Clone. And we'll circle back to the criticism of the Castro Clone archetype.

But first, let's talk about some of its characteristics.

Castro Clone Characteristics (7:14)

So, in volume six of Christopher Street Magazine, Andrew Holleran wrote about the archetype in an article called The Petrification of Clonestyle.

In it, he explained that the Castro Clone appearance typically consisted of masculine attire, such as uniforms, leather, or Levi's jeans, and checked or plaid shirts. Some typical looks were form-fitting T-shirts, sneakers or boots, and shrink-to-fit denim trousers worn snugly.

And in the early 1970s, those tended to be bell bottoms and low-rise jeans. And then in later years, the more traditionally working-class 501s. Also, as we talked about, mustaches often completed the look. 

And sideburns were also a characteristic of the Castro clone, and their hairstyles were typically short. Not necessarily crew cut short, but something short enough that it wouldn't blow in the wind or require much hairspray to tame it.

According to Wikipedia, this look was modeled heavily on the greasers of the 1950s and 1960s, which was also an influence on punk, heavy metal, and fetish subcultures.

The elements of this archetype were meant to emphasize physical attributes that were associated with traditional masculinity. So tighter-fitting clothing meant showing off buff gym bodies. And, we touched upon some of the stereotypical associations between gym culture and masculinity in the gay gym culture episode.

Again, according to Wikipedia, gay men so frequently adopted this attire at first for bar hopping, and it soon became associated with males of the post-Stonewall gay community.

And in a 2021 GQ article titled How the '70s “Clone” Look Paved the Way for the Queer Clothing of Today, author Nathan Tavares notes that, while the term Castro Clone was initially pejorative, the Clone period marked the first time that gay men presented themselves with a queer signaling uniform that was a direct response to societal stereotypes.

Famous Castro Clones (9:04)

And some of the more well-known people who donned the Castro clone archetype were adult film stars Jack Wrangler, Richard Locke, and Al Parker. And while you can't exactly pinpoint the person who originated the Castro Clone look, many gay men who were alive at this time usually bring up Al Parker.

In his Colt centerfold in September 1976, he was labeled as the ideal natural man since his build was comparatively slimmer to the typical muscular daddies, and he had a neat beard that played to working-class fantasies.

Apparently, his lean, muscled frame started a movement since it was more attainable compared to other muscular builds, and it became quickly absorbed in the gay community. Here's an excerpt from the GQ article:

"The fantasy of Parker's imagery played with the idea of a working-class looking guy who is just so masculine and horned up that he'd have sex with whoever was around; ideally other clone looking guys. Lenses zoomed in on his tight Levi's and package. His denim jacket opened to reveal his abs.

His films and photos featured guys pouring beer over each other or boys' skiing trips or randy police officers. What do you do when you're diving through the desert and spot a guy in a flight suit trapped in a tree by his parachute? Free him and then have sex obviously. The stylized shoots in the woods or Parker's van with its mattress in the back portrayed a labelist sexual liberation never seen before."

The Castro Clone archetype was also illustrated in the works of homoerotic artists like Gerard P. Donlin and Tom of Finland. And I'm sure most of you are familiar with Tom of Finland. I mean, there's so much to cover there, so I do plan on doing a future episode about him.

The Village People (10:41)

And perhaps one of the most famous examples of the Castro Clone look is the disco group, the Village People. And in addition to the mustaches episode, I believe we covered them a bit in the queer history of disco episode.

Anyway, in 1978 and 1979, they scored hits with the songs Macho Man, In the Navy, and the YMCA, which is probably their most recognizable song. While they were popular to mainstream audiences, they were particularly well received by disco's large gay audience.

And allegedly, their name refers to Greenwich Village in New York City, which has a reputation of being a gay village. And the group members performed his various characters, which portrayed macho gay fantasy personas.

In the peak years of their popularity, the Village People's lineup consisted of:

·       Victor Willis and then later Ray Simpson, who was the cop

·       Alex Briley, who was the sailor

·       Glenn Hughes as the leather man

·       David Hodo as the construction worker

·       Randy Jones as the cowboy

·       And Felipe Rose as the Native American

And there has been debate around the cultural appropriation of the portrayal of the group's Native American character, but Felipe has claimed Lakota and Taino descent.

But of these characters, the Leatherman, in particular, became a widespread gay icon, and the inspiration for his persona came from the dress code of the gay BDSM leather bar and sex club, the Mineshaft.

But despite all this, the only members of the group who are openly gay are Felipe Rose and Randy Jones, who was the cowboy. Some online internet forums claimed that Alex Briley, the sailor, is also openly gay, but I couldn't find any reputable sources.

Anyway, while it may be fun to stay at the YMCA, not everyone loved the Castro Clone style.

Criticisms of the Castro Clone Archetype (12:24)

Again, this archetype started off as a way for gay men to appropriate and camp up traditional masculine imagery, and part of it was dressing up like the guys who turned them on.

Additionally, this look allowed gay men to present as being masculine enough to pass in non-queer spaces. So, it kind of served as a form of code-switching in the heteronormative world.

But going back to Arthur Evans, in his leaflet Afraid You're Not Buch Enough?, he wrote:

"Worried that the feminine half of your personality might be showing through? Then join the Zombie Works. With our scientifically designed devices, you can make your body look like a 1950s stereotype of the butch straight male. You'll look just like everyone else on Castro Street. No more anxiety over being an individual."

He also wrote that when you shop at All American Clone, you never have to worry about being a big hit on Castro Street because they know that conformity means sex appeal. He ended the leaflet claiming that the Castro Clone was another community service brought to readers by gay capitalism and urging gay people to wake up.

Another criticism was how it played into masculine ideals. Sylvester, who was a gay singer, famous for You Make Me Feel, claimed that Castro Clones were judgmental toward effeminate or flamboyant men and that he had often been hassled by them.

Additionally, in a February 2023 Stitch article titled The incredibly Gay History of Manly Clothes, author Austin Kim noted that, while this archetype was a reaction to stereotypical depictions of gay men, it did cause marginalization within the LGBTQ+ community.

Here's a passage:

"While gay men dressing in masculine ways can combat gay stereotypes, it also reveals internal homophobia within the queer community. Gay men idolize white masculine-presenting men more than they do effeminate men. It's a challenging dynamic that existed with the Castro Clones and it still persists today. The Clone part of the name caught on because of how many gay men were copying the look nationwide. The clothes unified gay men but also exposed the assimilation even among a community of outsiders."

And going back to the GQ article, Nathan Tavares noted that not everyone was welcome to dress the part. The article quotes Ben Barry, the Dean of the School of Fashion at the New School’s Parsons School of Design, whose research focuses on fashion's relationship to masculinity, sexuality, and the body.
 
 

And in the article, Barry said:

"The clone look was certainly about a white gay man's response and engagement with those archetypes. The whiteness and the body consciousness of it in terms of which bodies didn't have the same privilege to wear it is an important element to highlight."

Additionally, John Calendo, a writer who lived in LA and New York City throughout the '70s and '80s and worked as an editor at the clone-incubating skin mags Blueboy and In Touch for Men said:

"There was this obsessive rejection of anything that was soft or feminine, and that's why the Clone period is often one of conformity and oppressiveness."

Redefining Queer Masculinity (15:18)

Now, as for the timeline of this look, I'm not really sure when it went out of style.

I know in the mustaches episode, we talked about how the mustache fell out of style in the 80s during the AIDS pandemic because a clean-shaven look conveyed a certain sense of health. So maybe during that time is when this look fell out of style, too.

However, this iconic look has still been portrayed in the media in certain period pieces, like the movie Milk. And that GQ article asserts that the Clone look isn't dead, and some are bringing it back to the quote-unquote queer and now.

For example, James Flemons often works Americana staples like tanks and trucker jackets into his gender-neutral eclectic basics brand, Phlemuns. He even styled many of Lil Nas X's early looks, such as the 2019 Time cover that featured the singer in a red cowboy-inspired getup and the denim outfits worn by Lil NAS X's doppelgangers in the Montero music video.

The author of the GQ article goes on to say that the Montero lyric, "I wanna fuck the ones I envy," could be a good Castro Clone moto.

Additionally, in that Stitch article, Austin Kim notes that in the summer of 2022, fashion saw the return of jorts, white tank tops, and trucker hats, all of which were traditionally viewed as a blue-collar uniform. Kim went on to claim that this was the comeback of hyper-masculine clothes, only this time, the traditional concept of masculinity is being championed by gay men.

And in the context of today's gender fluidness, this queered-up hyper-masculine aesthetic could be viewed as queer men asserting their own manhood while also redefining what a man really is. And Kim believes that, unlike the Castro Clone era, this time around, we're seeing queer men adopting this hyper-masculine clothing as a means of celebrating personal identity as opposed to conformity.

And through this, they can challenge societal preconceptions. And the GQ article closed with this, which I think is really important to end the episode with:

"It's almost as if the labelist freedom of the early post-Stonewall years is finally coming true, though without the Clone look. What we're seeing now is neither costume nor conformity. Instead, it's a unified front."

Episode Closing (17:24)

And connecting it back to the tarot, Ace of Cups. We are at the start of a journey and that means it's a perfect time for us to get in touch with our emotions, to find what gives us fulfillment. So that way, we can say yes to opportunities that help us progress along the emotional journey of Cups.

And so, just like we saw on this Castro Clone episode, obviously, the look was somewhat empowering early on because gay men were appropriating this traditional butch look. But obviously, there was a lot of conformity and oppressiveness. You know, not everybody was welcome to participate in that look.

But as you can see, in today's fashion sense, it seems like the look may be coming back with a new twist on it. Because this, you know, butch aesthetic that people are putting on now, it's not so much to conform to a style of masculinity, but it's to assert their own form of masculinity, especially as a queer person.

And I'm no fashion expert, but from the research I did on this episode, it seems like it started like summer of 2022 is when the look started coming back with, you know, the jorts and the tank tops and the trucker hats.

So maybe we are just in that beginning phase of seeing this look coming back. And so, maybe if it's something that feels right to us, if it, you know, fashion and dressing a certain way gives us a sense of fulfillment, that's something that we can participate in.

We can adopt that clothing without trying to assimilate with a preconceived notion of masculinity but really create our own form of masculinity. You know, a form of masculinity that speaks to us as gay men, as queer people, as an LGBTQ+ community.

And hopefully, if this look is coming back, and it's really an opportunity for the LGBTQ+ community to redefine what masculinity is, that concept becomes something that's more inclusive where, you know, it's for all body types, all races, all genders, and all whoever, and that we're not being part of this, you know, cliquey club where it's, oh, you have to dress and act a certain way to get in with us.

That's not the case at all. There is room for everybody in the LGBTQ+ community at the table.

Connect with A Jaded Gay (19:13)

So as always, thank you for listening. I'd really be interested to hear your thoughts on this because the Castro Clone look, it is iconic, but obviously, it is somewhat controversial, too.

So let me know your thoughts. Send me an email rob@ajadedgay.com.

Also, while you're at it, remember to rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast. Greatly appreciate that, the five stars really help.

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And remember, every day is all we have, so you got to make your own happiness.

Mmm-bye.

Outtake (20:35)

But first, let's pull the tarot card. Oh my God, I forgot to pull the tarot card for today. I am not prepared. I'm not prepared. We're doing it live.