Washington Post declares ‘the end of gender is near’ – pretends biological differences don’t exist
by: J. D. Heyes
Natural News
(NaturalNews) In the age of Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner and an order from the commander-in-chief to integrate the military with transgender troops, a blogger at the Washington Post has hyped the “end of gender” as being “near,” referring to a recent fashion show that “blurred” the lines between gender-based clothing.
“The end of gender is near,” fashion writer Robin Givhan breathlessly blogged under the headline Spring 2016 is all about lacy shirts, floral prints, silky fabrics — for men. Why not? “Menswear designers are on a mission to eradicate it. Some are going full bore, wielding lace shirts and floppy, grandma blouses like cultural grenades. Others are taking a stealth approach, quietly chiseling away the boundaries between masculinity and femininity through non-traditional retail, models and silhouettes.”
So, what do these things – the hubbub over Caitlyn Jenner, transgender troops and feminists clothing men – have to do with each other? They all represent a groupthink among today’s cultural liberal elite that suddenly, biological differences between men and women no longer matter, never really did matter, and the standards and mores that once distinguished and even emphasized such differences are outdated, bigoted and narrow-minded.
Where’s the market?
As Givhan notes:
Overwhelmingly, it is menswear designers, from London to New York, who are on this rampage. Spurred on by men’s heightened interest in fashion and shifts in social mores, they are flexing their creative muscles, taking risks and challenging their customers to think beyond pastel suits, leggings and a pair of skinny trousers cropped to the ankle.
No question that there are men – and women – who are not like the vast majority of other men and women, in that they have different tastes, believe in unconventional concepts and practices and don’t share the same values. But to intimate that there have been a seismic “shifts in social mores” to the point where vast numbers of men and women have somehow transformed overnight into genderless beings is as disingenuous as it is absurd. In fact, studies indicate there may be as few as 700,000 transgendered adults in the U.S., or about 0.3 percent of the population – not much of a consumer base for entire clothing lines, but then, I’m not a marketing executive.
At the same time that fashionistas are attempting to feminize men, they are trying to remake women as icons of masculinity.
As further noted by Givhan, “And when they dip into womenswear, they eschew prissy and overtly sexy. They prefer swagger, cool and just a little bit bad a**.”
Keep shaking the pom-poms
Tim Coppens, a Belgian-born designer who started his career working for Ralph Lauren and Adidas, is preparing to present his fashion work in New York City soon. Since launching his brand in 2011 he has transitioned to womenswear, where he says his inspiration is rooted in skater culture, hip-hop and visual arts.
“It all comes from streetwear,” Coppens says of his subtle gender-blurring ways. His female customers might look “cute and feminine, but there’s something tough about them. I’m less inclined to do a pretty dress.”
Givhan does acknowledge that there is a limited market/appeal for men who look like they’re wearing their mother’s couch print and women who resemble bikers. But she nevertheless “keeps shaking the pom-poms,” as Tim Graham, editor of Newsbusters wrote.
“This determination to eradicate gender, however, is broader than ever, with significant establishment heft behind it,” she blogs. “The push is coming from corporate-owned design houses, publicly traded companies, major department stores and even IT wonks.”
Everyone, it seems, except the 99 percent of Americans who haven’t lost their minds and still understand that gender distinctions matter.
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