How David Bowie's Portraits Deviated from Gender Stereotypes

Jaz Rogers
Jul 28, 2017
3 min read

It's no secret that I'm a humongous David Bowie fan. Classic rock n' roll is my thing, so I was bound to stumble across the Starman sooner or later!

Bowie, born as David Robert Jones in 1947, is often celebrated as "the chameleon of rock." Although I must disagree, as chameleons blend in with their surroundings while David naturally did just the opposite. He did, however, dabble in just about every style and fashion under the sun at any given time, making him the camera's best friend. What caught my eye, besides his immaculate fashion sense, is the man as a subject -- specifically his physical demeanor and facial expression in more than a few photos.

Let's "focus" on the legendary stage character we know as Ziggy Stardust.

David, with the help of then-wife Angie, concocted Ziggy in 1972, making him a ripe 25 years old. Most male celebrities on the brink of thirty intimidate the lenses, and they do it well. Our friend Ziggy is described as a "bisexual, androgynous alien rockstar" who could command the camera in his own effeminate way. His flaming red orange hair, asymmetrical eyes, and unorthodox outfits garnered him tons of attention, whether in his favor or not. But the contrast between Ziggy's demeanor and that of his peers remains.

Men of the past and present follow a certain physical blueprint in the studios: upright stance, hands lowered (perhaps one in pocket), fully dressed, neat hair, and a confident gaze that pierces you right through the lens. They know exactly what they're doing and are in control of their atmospheres. Perhaps you'd glance at a photo of said man and infer he must have his life together, based on his ready-for-the-world appearance. He's tough, unbreakable, predatory in a sense, and fit to protect his lady from any unnamed phenomenon. Think Michael Jackson's Bad album cover or any depiction of Christian Grey (because everyone compares those guys, right??).

I can't speak for you, but I certainly wouldn't want to make young Steven Tyler's hit list. Doesn't he look like you just insulted his mother? Or dragged the Aerosmith name through the mud? David Bowie's peer -- a 70s rocker -- embodies the male blueprint. He dominates his setting and ain't about to take any BS.

Swinging back to Ziggy . . .

Here he adopts many feminine characteristics. While he does stare into your very core, he possesses a gleam of uncertainty in his eyes; uncertain, perhaps, of himself. He doesn't look mean or dominant, but vulnerable, like the kind of guy Steve up there could beat up. He's even covering his bare chest the way many a woman has and will continue to do.

What does he have to hide? Why does he feel the need to shelter himself? Did you scare him?

If we examine women in photography, it's easy to see that their hands are often interacting with their faces in some way. They personify female stereotypes including submission, vulnerability, delicacy, and insecurity. Almost as if they need or are waiting for their dominant male counterpart to enter the frame.

Not to mention women's constant infantilism, for whatever reason . . .

Men don't usually strip down for the cameras unless they're known for it and/or have the mainstream desirable body type. To fit that puzzle piece, a man must have a six pack and the right bulges in all the right places. He can't be too short, for many women associate short guys with weakness; a short stature is more of a feminine trait. Nor can he be too wide or too skinny. He must have a strong sense of masculinity, but not so strong that it becomes obnoxious. The thing that strikes me the most about David's portraits is that he willingly bared his skin despite being a moderately shy and consistently private person. (We can't forget the fan-favorite nude scene in his big-screen debut, Man Who Fell to Earth, can we?) Nevertheless, Bowie gave many performances in clothes that spared little to the imagination.

The Thin White Duke was just that: a pale, naturally skinny guy who unfortunately became unhealthily underweight due to drug addiction. If he was insecure about his body, he'd never let us know! He never seemed to care that he wasn't Mr. Beefy; he just did David, whether effeminately or not.