Why Joan Crawford is a Gay Icon

Why Gay Men Love Joan Crawford

What makes Joan Crawford a gay icon? What secret ingredients did she mix in the cauldron of fame that beckoned the gay community to her allure? How did her name, her image, her persona, engrave themselves in the gay cultural pantheon?

Let's step into the shoes of a few theorists and see through their lenses.

Camp Aesthetics: Glitter, Grit and Glamour

We all remember Crawford, with her bold, exaggerated style - the oversized shoulder pads, the sculpted eyebrows, a flamboyance that was pure theatre. And who appreciates theatre more than the gay community? Susan Sontag, in her essay "Notes on Camp," identified this very aesthetic.

She said, "Camp sees everything in quotation marks. It's not a lamp, but a 'lamp'; not a woman, but a 'woman'" (The Partisan Review, 1964). Crawford, to many, was not a 'woman' but a 'Woman,' an amplified, theatrical, and highly stylized persona. Campy? Absolutely. And we loved her for it.

Crawford’s Gender-Bending Saga

In her signature film "Mildred Pierce" (1945), Crawford took on a role that defied gender norms of the time. She was a single mother, a successful businesswoman, a woman in trousers. Judith Butler, a philosopher and gender theorist, would surely take interest in Crawford's ability to embrace these roles.

She famously argued in "Gender Trouble" (1990) that gender is not a fixed attribute, but a performance. Crawford's performances, then, broadened the very concept of what it means to be a woman, and that resonated with many in the gay community who felt their gender expressions didn't fit in society's boxes.

Identification and Resilience: The Crawford Narrative

Diana Fuss, in "Identification Papers" (1995), talks about how we often identify with figures who have faced adversity and remained resilient. Crawford’s life was a testament to this resilience. Her journey from poverty to Hollywood stardom, her turbulent personal life, her battles with the studio system - all bear testimony to her tenacity.

For many in the gay community, facing societal prejudices, this tenacity became an inspiration. As one critic from The New Yorker observed in 1970, "Crawford became an icon of survival."

The “Other” Theory: Crawford as the Ultimate Outsider

Simone de Beauvoir, in "The Second Sex" (1949), explored the concept of women as the 'Other' in a male-dominated society. Similarly, Crawford, with her refusal to conform to norms, her fierce independence, and her overtly dramatic persona, positioned herself as an 'Other' within Hollywood. Her battles with studio execs, her defiant persona, her often controversial personal life – these all marked her as different, as 'other'. And who else but the queer community could better understand and empathize with the struggles of being an 'Other'?

Liberation Theory: Joan Crawford and the Boundless Continuum

Adrienne Rich's Liberation Theory, with her idea of a "lesbian continuum," broke down the barriers of heteronormative relationships and identities. Crawford, with her commanding screen presence and take-no-prisoners persona, came to represent a figure of liberation. Her characters often rejected societal expectations and challenged conventional gender roles.

For many in the gay community, she embodied the courage to stand tall, to be oneself, even in the face of adversity. Crawford symbolized a liberation from the constraints of societal norms, a liberation that gay men could not only admire but aspire to.

Homosocial Desire Theory: Crawford's Role in Building Gay Community

Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick's Homosocial Desire Theory looks at the deep, often non-sexual bonds that exist among people of the same sex. Here, Crawford played an intriguing role. She was more than a celebrity - she became a common bond, a shared idol, a topic of conversation among gay men.

The admiration of her talent, style, and resilience became a means of strengthening the gay community's sense of belonging. Crawford didn't just inspire individual gay men; she played a part in building a community.

Marginalized Representation Theory: The Crawford Connection

Stuart Hall, a cultural theorist, put forth the idea that marginalized groups often identify with figures who are similarly marginalized. Crawford, despite her stardom, was not unfamiliar with marginalization. She faced a constant battle against an industry that sought to control her image, a media that delighted in scandalizing her personal life, and societal expectations that wished to confine her.

These struggles resonated with many in the gay community, who could identify with the experience of marginalization. As a critic from The Guardian aptly put it in 2018, "Crawford's refusal to be put in a box, her constant fight against a system that tried to suppress her, resonates with the LGBTQ+ community."

Queer Iconography Theory: Joan Crawford, the Reluctant Advocate

Crawford may not have been a vocal activist for the gay community, but she became an icon nonetheless. She was known to have a large gay following and to be accepting of them, even at a time when homosexuality was largely taboo.

In an interview with The Advocate in 1971, Crawford said, "I have always believed that a person is a person. Who they love doesn't change that." This acceptance, though not groundbreaking by today's standards, was noteworthy in her time, and cemented her status as an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community.

From liberation to community-building, from marginalized representation to queer iconography - Crawford's journey as a gay icon is as multifaceted as her personality. What comes into focus, regardless of the theoretical lens we use, is a figure who embodied defiance, resilience, and authenticity.

A figure who, intentionally or not, became a symbol of both struggle and success for the gay community. So, here's to Crawford - an icon whose light shines just as brightly, no matter how we choose to view it.

Gay Icons of the 1930s and 1940s

Gay Icons of the 1950s and 1960s

Liza Minnelli

Marilyn Monroe

Gay Icons of the 1970s and 1980s

Diana Ross

Dolly Parton

Cher