"Be a Man": Reflections on Masculinity, Part One

“Be A Man": Reflections on Masculinity, Part One

Artist’s Statement

I hated high school Gym class, especially the change room. 

I remember the Jocks who paraded confidently around the room wearing only their jockstrap, flicking each other with towels. 

They knew how to ‘man up’.

Me, changing in the darkest corner I could find … not so much … and I was told so constantly.

For years, the jockstrap was a reminder of my fear that I’d never be a ‘man’.

Now, I understand the myth of ‘manning up’, and I know that I am ‘man enough’!

And the jockstrap has a new role in my community … not so much for sport, but rather for play. I’m comfortable with that.

NOTE:

I dyed all of the fabric for this quilt. 

The background construction is a Double Disappearing Nine Patch Variation.  

Along with the blue background, it includes colours from both the gay pride and the trans pride flags.

Quilted by Deanna Gaudaur, quintestudios.com .