dykeumentary

Every one of the “gay design features” is covered in this gem: rainbows, men’s/women’s symbols, some psychedelic background the makes this illegible, and at least five different fonts. Bravo!

And this also brings up another historical point– The Names of Bars. Remember the days when gay bars had names that included bird names, or oh-so-subltle references to places for gay people–sssshhhhh!!!!! such as “Our House” or “Triangles” or “Peacocks”? Adorable. I miss that.

Compare this to these and you will see that its a trend. This style was cute at first, but now its just a boring gimmic, and less uninteresting.
The floating head thing could be read in a lot of ways. I’m glad Linda Simpson at least put Peanuts bodies on them.

These are fine examples of gay graphics that reflect a less “digital” time.
I adore the “Faster Pussycat, Kvetch, Kvetch!” one.
The Rumours graphic brings up questions about historical accuracy (Charlotte!), because as an enthusiastic reader of Staci’s dad’s Playboy magazines in the 70′s, I know that Patrick Nagel did NOT use drop shadows, or whatever that thing is.

If you only knew how much I hated school, and the anxiety that the three little words “Pop Quiz Today” produced, you would be proud of how far I have evolved away from my youth. Well, my mind is still more similar to a clown car than to a database, but anyway…

Here are 4 examples of Gay Graphic Design. For this quiz, smartypants students will comment on the most egregious features, and believe me, there is some egrege-ing gong on.
*************** *************** ****************

Example A (Hint: I swear to god if anyone likes this one (which seems actually more like a still from a girl scout CPR training-video, but TOO LATE, SHE IS DEAD!), I swear I will tie you to an uncomfortable folding chair and make you watch the entire final season of L Word over and over again. I’m serious.)

Example B

Example C

Example D

Some of you might know that there was a big conference last weekend called “Butch Voices”
Some of you might also know that I think that identities should be like a good outfit – you hope to have a good “cost per wear” ratio, but the most important thing is that you look cute and feel confident.

Anyway, here are some gay graphics from the conference. It looks like the big motivator was “Inclusion, goddammit!!!” but they managed to slip in rainbows, illegibility, ALL CAPS, and an outer glow on the dj’s photo. !Que Gay!

WIthout offending my legions of Swedish fans, I guess I had hoped that Norway was, in fact, out of the gay graphic design loop. Nope, they even slipped in a “DIY” sunburst (one of the staples of gay graphic design, of course.)

And as a softball dyke, I don’t know whether to feel bad for myself (being represented in this pathetic design for the Gay World Series) or to feel bad for the DIVAS who probably have never been so embarassingly promoted, either.

Look at this fancy photoshop free-for-all happening in gay graphic design!
Just in time for the fall fashioin magazines, finally we don’t have to cringe as we plan our weekends.
Let’s hope humor and legibility become the “the new black”!

Rainbow. Check.
Rainbow colored font. Check
Outer glow. Check
Drop Shadow. Check.
Multiple fonts and font sizes. Check.
Read more about the rules of gay design

Ok, let’s assume they are being “ironical” *cough* and made this be really cheesey. Super.

Because (as many of you know) I am so f’ing tired of the classism in the drag king scene. Objectifying/fetishizing/sexualizing poor people while you enjoy the benefits of an unfair ecronomic system is hardly “entertainment.” All those faux “kings” (who by day are women’s studies students) should look at their male university classmates and perform their classmates versions of “maleness” — let’s see them wear sexless, baggy shirts with corporate logos and flip-flops and see if they get any ass. How ’bout they leave the sexy construction worker look to people like… say, sexy construction workers? Murray Hill, who actually is from a middle class family, and performs like a middle class guy — has my respect for the critique she’s presenting. These other fools who try to all look like Justin Timberlake (on laundry day) are playing “dress up” but it sure isn’t creative or art.
PS: i suggest that she put the mustache that’s under her arm on her face, that would be funnier.

Okay, i feel bad about being so negative, so below is a really great gay design. Yes it has all the attributes of gay design (including uniform fetish, hooray!!) but it does it in a campy, exaggerated way that says something beyond the total of it’s parts. The opposite of the above poster.

I like the direction this one is heading.
I like the big bow on her swimsuit most of all. Still a few too many different font sizes, though, boldly mixing serif and san serif.

Surely you noticed that this is a gay event by the rainbow detail around the sign. Additionally, everything about this unhappy hotdog would be different if his outfit was decorated with ketchup, rather than mustard. Eeewww.