Fashion Images of Homosexuality Depicted in Attitudes, FHM, and Arena Since 2000

In this study homosexuality as a discourse represented in contemporary fashion magazines is explored in context. The main concerns are the contemporary construction of homosexuality, fashion symbols to identify homosexuals, and relationships between homosexuality and heterosexual masculinity in fashion images today. After elaborating homosexuality conceptualized historically, an analytical framework from Foucault's discursive approach was made up to interpret the fashion spreads since 2000. As a result, as it is assumed that the concept of homosexuality is constructed by historical specificity, homosexual fashion styles are dynamic. So, it should be recognized that they are formed by power relationships with heterosexuality, and other social factors such as class, race, age, and consumer culture and market trends. On the basis of photographic themes and fashion looks homosexual images are classified into 3 kinds of versions, the effeminate trend setter, the masculine athlete or biker, and the neo camp. However, most of contemporary homosexual photographs are not also so conspicuously different from heterosexual ones. Therefore, in the contemporary structure at least from fashion images, homosexuals can be recognized equally with heterosexual people only except for sexual preference. Thus, homosexual fashion also shares a lot of fashionable products with heterosexual one, with often homosexuals' role as trend -setter.