84
Popular Culture Review
which do not revolve around their respective female relationships. Often, when
their biographies do mention women, they are depicted as conquest targets, not
girlfriends. These characterizations celebrate a sexual bravado that is
subculturally seen as a fundamental, inherent trait of masculinity.
Academics who study these ideas note that sexual prowess and an
unlimited heterosexual appetite demarcate hegemonic masculinity
(Messerschmidt 1993). For example, the character Felon is described as “always
looking for new ladies.” Likewise, the character Papi Chulo’s primary objective
is to “meet lotsa, lotsa girls,” and the character Conejo is a “homy homie” who
“is always stalking women trying to get them into bed.”^®
In stark contrast to the dominant physicality and wanton sexuality that
is characteristic of the males in the collection, the female Homies reflect a very
different social constmction of gender, one that is primarily defined in
opposition to the ideal prescription of masculinity. These cultural definitions of
femininity describe a woman who is docile, passive, and sexually receptive to
one man while not being “too sexual”—the classic Madonna/whore dichotomy
which is not only a contradiction in terms but is also virtually impossible to
achieve (Faulkner 2003).
In contrast to the physically and spatially commanding depictions of
male Homies, the female Homies are often petite and demurely positioned in
“come-hither” and/or sexy postures. Interestingly enough, and in line with the
sexual expectations of emphasized femininity, these extremely striking women
are depicted with bare bellies and sexualized clothing while being described as
devoted to, and supportive of, their men. Most often diese men are their one and
only steady relationship.
\ ^ l e many male Homies are rarely described in relation to the woman
or women in their lives (as if they do not matter), the biographies of the female
Homies are filled with descriptions of their love lives and relationships to men.
When female characters are described as not attached to males and sexually
active, they are not described in flattering ways; rather, they are seen a s a threat
to male masculinity. Bruja (or ‘Svitch”^^) is depicted as an older, wild-haired
woman who “always gets the vatos” due to her secret love spells. Right-eye is
another female character portrayed as a resentful and unhappy girl who teases all
the “homeboys” and neglects the baby she has at home.^^ In short, the
biographies and physical representations of female characters demonstrate that
the world of the Homies is a man’s world.
Once again it is important to remember that Gonzales created a series
of characters that primarily reflect his gendered experiences in his community of
origin. The imagery and corresponding biographical sketches reveal gender
classifications which echo gender representation within the lower-class, ethnic
enclave from which the artist emerged. As representations of a specific
community, these figmines “do gender” in ways that are typical of men from
groups with limited access to resources in the form of power, privilege, and