It's kinda funny thinking about the stigma around cisnormative men listening to music (especially pop) performed by women.
I was kinda on a nostalgia trip and I stumbled on Jennifer Lopez's Waiting for Tonight, and it's basically about how she wants to fuck her partner. It could be more romantic in nature, and for some people it is, but looking at the repression in the West, it's very racy for its time.
But I ask: Why is it considered bad for straight men to want to listen to a song about how a woman wants to fuck? Volcel Pledge, notwithstanding.
I mean I know the answer is systemic misogyny, but like it doesn't even make sense?
It's so bizarre to me as a queer person attracted to men that men and boys are discouraged from listening to musicians who are women.
I'd have loved growing up with musicians I'm attracted to who were attracted to my gender.
I sorta want to explore this experience as an outsider, but I'm curious, what was that like? Did you listen to artists you liked in secret? How are your music tastes now? Any recommendations on music that feels different on a revisit?
I remember some shit head coworker from McD's that heard my techno playing in my car once and said "omg bro ur listening to N'Sync?!?!?" And I never heard the end of it. Fuck I hated growing up as a boy. And I hated the shame put on me for certain things, so I ended up listening to my stuff more privately. In public, it was crappy early 2000's metal.