understand

Hamasaki Ayumi fan car sparks doubt about gender identity and desire

hamasaki_ayumi_car_yoyogiparkI heard that singer Hamasaki Ayumi is a gay-rights supporter, so I don’t mean to be harsh on her. But this image, plastered on a car hood outside Yoyogi Park, alternately fascinates and haunts me. I am amazed that such a pornographic look can circulate in public with no friction. Is this a day look? Should children see this?

I understand that the male gaze prizes artifice over reality, and that simple drag tactics are very effective in attracting male attention (big hair, heavy make-up, scary long nails, and a blank look). I am not shocked that these images are popular, but I am surprised to see them in the daylight and on the street.