Androgyny has started to represent a social movement with much wider implications.
Without actually being proclaimed, androgyny is a war for equalization of men and women, as well as homosexuals and heterosexuals.
Fashion is reflective of societal, political and economic trends. The famous 1920s flappers were a result of the liberal social movement after World War I. Below-the-knee poodle skirts of the 1950s represented the conservative sentiments of the decade.
However, a new trend is emerging.
Women are urged to indulge in menswear: blazers, oversized button-downs, trousers, and flat, tie-up shoes are consuming the runways. Lady GaGa, arguably one of the most famous musical artists of the year, was recently photographed in Japanese Vogue as her male alter ego, Jo Calderone.
Whether or not these depictions are for shock value, the message remains the same: just as flapper dresses and poodle skirts reflected cultural trends of their respective times, this androgynous movement reflects an epic shift in our own views on gender and sexual orientation.
Women no longer seek to be defined by their soft, gentle ways. Men must no longer represent the nine to five, five days a week breadwinner.
Don't judge us by our appearance, do not define us by our sexuality and definitely don't define us by our gender.
If a woman's capability in the workforce is at least partially determined by her feminine physical appearance, dabbling in androgyny seems to be the perfect way to avoid this inherent bias.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women now hold 51.4 percent of managerial and professional jobs, up from 26.1 percent in 1980. Approximately 33 percent of physicians and 45 percent of associates at law firms are now women. A woman's "role" is changing.
Standards for men have similarly changed. The harsh corners of suits, hats and shoes have been replaced with soft cardigans, scarves and tighter pants.
Adam Lambert wears more makeup than most females. Good Charlotte reconciled pop rock with eyeliner. Russell Brand continues to popularize "manscara." As highly visible individuals, these depictions have implications that ripple through society.
While these men may not represent the majority, the very fact that these public figures have portrayed these gender-blurred appearances speaks volumes. Questioning one's sexuality or gender in past decades was more than chastised; it was so taboo that enormous lengths were commonly taken to hide the truth.
Actor Rock Hudson, the epitome of masculinity in the 1950s, was a hidden homosexual.
The film studio for which he worked paid off tabloids numerous times to not print his sexual orientation and purposely paired him opposite heartthrob Doris Day to further this image. He was even encouraged to marry his secretary, Phyllis Gates, to give the impression of heterosexuality. Even when his AIDS diagnosis was revealed two weeks prior to his death, his sexual orientation was never publicly revealed during his lifetime.
In the 1950s, the admission of homosexuality would have ruined Hudson's career. Nowadays, androgyny and the blurring of sexual differentiation are encouraged, garner widespread reactions and can frequently be used as a way of furthering one's job success.
The popularization of this movement has not-so-ironically coincided with the gradual acceptance of homosexuality. It is not bold to insinuate that the very visibility of alternative lifestyles in present-day society has directly impacted tolerance.
An analysis of the World Values Survey shows that in 1981, 66 percent of United States respondents said that homosexuality is "never justifiable." In 2006, that percentage was reduced to 35 percent.
If androgyny could be considered a means to further equilibrate men and women as well as homosexuals and heterosexuals, let it be.
