Popular Culture Review Vol. 15, No. 2 | Page 88

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