A peculiar phenomenon has gripped the social, aesthetic, and political fabric of a culture not known for its sexual openness and gender diversification. From Japan, we are witnessing through social media the birth of a new a human being that fiercely breaks all barriers. In a country where the female figure is subdued and hidden away and where homophobia and transphobic violence are present, young men have raised their voices and abandoned the conceptions of gender. They defy not only Japanese traditionalism, but also from the whole world.Throughout history, society has tried to pinpoint the exact meaning of gender and sex and this Japanese movement defies this by asking the question: how should a man or a woman dress? Their answer is an unprecedented step forward in reimagining the social aesthetics.
These guys, called Genderless Kei saw the light by joining together two fascinating cultural elements: boy bands and manga.They molded these two ingredients into a unique perspective on femininity and masculinity. They launched this new proposal in the Tokyo Girls Collection in 2015.
Since then, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat have seen waves of young men fearlessly breaking the standards of masculinity. Adolescent girls have copied this same movement, but it hasn’t had the same impact as its counterpart.
This stylistic trend has benefitted from the globalization and western interest in Harajuku Girls, Lolitas, and Gyaru design. These trends have become a media junket where the Japanese girl is a hyper sexualized tourist attraction.
As you walk down the streets of Tokyo, you will spot these svelte guys with smooth faces, wearing make up to exaggerate both their feminine and masculine features. They wear colored contacts, paint their nails, dye their hair, and their clothing is androgynous paired with colorful accessories.
These Neo-Ikemen (new handsome guy) are not looking to hook up or showcase their sexual orientation. Some are gay and others are heterosexual, but ultimately what they want is to break the construct that beauty is tied to gender.
We are unsure whether these guys are aware of their political and aesthetic influence, and it adds a certain charm to their decisions. Simply put, characters like Toman, who is a spokesperson for Genderless Kei, and social media celebrity, GENKING, have paved the way.
Their influence is felt across the fashion world and media platforms. This gender proposal makes the patriarchal pillar of the country wobble and questions the heteronormative ideas of the entire world.
