Castro Street Clone
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A Castro Street Clone was a gay man who lived in or frequented the area of San Francisco known as The Castro during the late 1970s, and whose visual appearance was inspired by the icons of masculinity portrayed in the works of homoerotic artists such as Tom of Finland [1].
Examples of the Castro Street Clone can be seen in the costumes of the singing group, Village People, and Al Parker, the porn star.
The clone look arose from the 1960s and 1970s Gay Rights Movement, which allowed greater freedom of expression than had previously been acceptable. This new freedom was represented in imagery of the magazines and movies of the time, inspiring a particular gay male style. With a greater acceptance of gay men, there was a fashion towards being seen and identified with the group. Masculine attire such as uniforms, leather or Levi's all served to emphasize the wearer's best assets. Those with buff bodies believed that less was often better, so that their hard work at the gym was evident.
Over time, the look subtly changed and continued to evolve through the 1980s and beyond.
