Are men today really dressing less masculine than they used to? Definitely not, as a recent viral tweet pointed out: even so-called masculine icons like spaghetti western superstar John Wayne were rocking fruity fits as early as the 1940s.
“Boomers: Kids nowadays dress so gay, what happened to real men like John Wayne?” wrote Twitter user @Meltart. She followed it up with a 1947 photo showing Wayne on vacation in Acapulco in an out-of-character outfit: skin-tight short shorts, a stylish hat, and a tasteful pair of sandals, with a strappy purse on his shoulder.
People’s eyes were immediately drawn to Wayne’s skimpy shorts, which put his … ahem, physique on full display…
Uh…my wife pointed out -> is that a 🐫 toe?
— Craig Egge 🇺🇲 (@CraigEgge) April 8, 2023
oh lord that moose crease i can’t look away …
— John O’Sullivan 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️🇳🇿🇦🇺🇬🇧🇮🇪🇵🇹❤️ (@JohnOSullivan36) April 9, 2023
Confirmed at last: The Duke dresses left!
— Charles O’Donnell, Alphabet Male (він/його) 🇺🇦 (@kozmickid) April 8, 2023
I feel like the pained look on his face is fully explained. 😳
— Carrie 😈🕸🕷 (@violetwidow131) April 9, 2023
Some folks focused on his other accessories, wondering what brand of sandal the Golden Age actor preferred…
not John Wayne in espadrilles. 😁 pic.twitter.com/qjclzTqANI
— mazal boh berrie U-🏗️ (@lezelmaz) April 8, 2023
His purse matches his espadrilles…
— JeweledSkye 🟦🏳️🌈 (@JeweledSkye) April 9, 2023
Not gonna lie, love the espadrilles for him.
— Post.news/BornInDaEB (@iAMYStifiEdLF) April 8, 2023
The man bag …. the package sculpting shorts … the SHOES … I had no idea!
— Archivist1000 (@Archivist1000) April 8, 2023
Ragging on Wayne for his outfit might seem unfair at first — but Wayne himself was a first-rate bigot, so a little ridicule is deserved.
He was famously conservative, with regressive views on race and sexuality. In an infamous Playboy interview from 1971, he expressed his racist views, saying, “I believe in white supremacy.”
He also said that he considered films with gay characters (like Midnight Cowboy, which he called “a story about two f*gs”) to be perverted.
Class A racist and all around shitty guy.
— Melissa Good Trouble ♥️🌊🌻🇺🇦 (@Meltart) April 8, 2023
Thus, Wayne was one of the first in the grand tradition of homophobic gays wearing homoerotic outfits.
Some users drew comparisons to modern-day country singer Travis Tritt, who recently expressed outrage at Bud Light’s partnership with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney — though clearly, Tritt is no stranger to dressing rather flamboyantly himself.
Looks like “The Duke” might have influenced Travis Tritt. pic.twitter.com/NIqx6WfCaU
— Alfredo (@PaddockEyes) April 8, 2023
Besides, Wayne wasn’t the only vintage man to try out a more feminine style. Some users replied with pictures of other 20th-century celebs, like physicist Albert Einstein, who had some strappy shoes of his own, and Olympic swimmer Johnny Weissmuller, whose swimsuit would raise some eyebrows at the pool…
Einstein’s shoes. Let go back even further… pic.twitter.com/vl49IFHh6P
— Blinddog (@Blind_Dogg) April 8, 2023
Johnny Weissmuller “Tarzan” pic.twitter.com/eDIzTLMqEA
— Robin Flach (@theDiFiori) April 8, 2023
Still others pointed out that short shorts like Wayne’s were just the style of the times. Anyone pretending modern trends of dressing “gay” are brand new hasn’t been paying attention.
I dated my ex husband in the 70s. He wore corduroy shorts with about 4 inch inseam in very bright colors. Didn’t think a thing about it then, but I giggle when I think about it now. 🤭
— THIS NONNA VOTES BLUE💙‼️ 🥰 🙃🤩💙😬🥃😷 (@socalgalnok_1) April 8, 2023
FreddieW
Yes, well Wayne became a friend of Rock Hudson. He was a real, imperfect person from a different time. And he made some good movies, along with some awful ones.
inbama
“Imperfect?”
That may be the understatement of the year on Queerty. There is no excuse for being a white supremacist in 1971.
FreddieW
There has never been an excuse for racism, but unless you’re willing to relegate everyone before your time of enlightenment to the garbage heap along with their accomplishments, you have to accept history for what it is — stuff that happened in the past.
People today can’t even measure up to current standards of perfection.
FreddieW
And you know what — I still watch Armie Hammer in “Call Me By Your Name”, which is perhaps my favorite movie. But he is totally screwed up.
abfab
”you have to accept history for what it is — stuff that happened in the past.”
Did you MEAN to say this? Oh brother you have a lot to learn………………
abfab
I’m waiting to hear you say that Hitler still gives you the hots.
FreddieW
You’re seriously going from a discussion of American movie stars to Hitler?
abfab
Seriously? No.
ShiningSex
he was homophobic and racist POS. He was ugly as sin and made boring as westerns.
Bromancer7
Shitty human being, and rumored to have virtually nothing downstairs, which seems to be a theme with bigots.
ericr_wilson
duncald tramp is the latest evidence of eeny weeny teeny peeny syndrome making bigots even more rabid….
Kangol2
Wayne was a rabidly right-wing, baby-d!cked, self-affirming White supremacist, sorry excuse for a Hollywood star. It’s an insult to anyone who has to fly into Santa Ana’s (Orange County’s) airport to see this thing’s name attached to it!
abfab
I HATE THAT AIRPORT! And the MAGA pop. of that county. Yuck.
ericr_wilson
LMAO.!! We clearly see that he has eeny weeny teeny peeny syndrome…. Its sufferers tend to overdo some aspect(s) of their lives – and anger pervades their underwhelming, um, personalities.
abfab
I bet he used teeny tiny tampons.
abfab
And we all know how things work in the streets of Acapolco. The wads of cash in his pocketbook kept the rough trade in business all winter.
SDR94103
that’s his ball bag on the left. His vienna sausage is on the right. LOL
ericr_wilson
LMAO.!!
jp47
Spaghetti westerns were western theme films made mostly in Italy; also eventually elsewhere in Europe. Wayne may have made a few films overseas, but his western films were almost always made in the U.S., thus not actually “spaghetti” westerns.
bobbyjoe
And to add to what you say Spaghetti Westerns were usually deliberately subverting the kind of boring traditional westerns John Wayne made. Wayne liked to see himself as this big whitebread hero; a lot of Spaghetti Westerns turn that on its head and even mock that with their anti-hero protagonists.
Mr. Stadnick
I made a similar comment but it is still “waiting Moderation”
ericr_wilson
What a highly unattractive and vulgar-looking dude-vulva….
ShiningSex
He was gross in every way and his movies sucked! He’s a one note actor like Denzel, Tom Cruise. The same in every film. zzzzzzzz
Aaron
Whoa, whoa, not Denzel Washington. He has range and is respected in his field. He was just nominated for an Oscar last year for Best Actor for his role as Macbeth.
abfab
Tommy boy was extreamly cruel towards Brooke Shields. (see the new HULU docu, it’s fab). And sex must have confused Denzel with someone else.
abfab
Recall I LOVE LUCY.
Lucy Ricardo snuck into his dressing room to recover a piece of cement and he walks in, all ready for his massage…………….so Lucy does the massage.
Jimmy T
I’d guess a “Moose Knuckle” is, at least, better than a “Camel Toe”!
Aaron
Geez “Queerty”, do better! John Wayne was a notorious homophobic racist that has said hateful things about Black and Native Americans. He was also rumored to have a small package.
abfab
Let’s play NAME THAT COWBOY!
”I believe in white supremacy until the Blacks are educated to a point of responsibility,” the True Grit star said of exclusivity and equality.”
“I don’t believe in giving authority and positions of leadership and judgment to irresponsible people. We can’t all of a sudden get down on our knees and turn everything over to the leadership of the Blacks.
abfab
ROUND 2!
“I don’t feel we did wrong in taking this great country away from them,” Wayne said. “Our so-called stealing of this country from them was a matter of survival.
“There were great numbers of people who needed new land, and the Indians were selfishly trying to keep it for themselves.”
abfab
BONUS ROUND! Who is Ethan?
“John Wayne stood for the very best in all of us — a society that doesn’t discriminate against anyone seeking the American dream,” Ethan said.
baggins435
Pretty sure the “purse” is something kids today have never seen…a camera case.
Celtic
John Wayne was the idol/role model for many straight white guys. They embraced the myth of Wayne as the real day-to-day Wayne. I know this, because my brother has pictures of Wayne throughout his house. Wayne emulated the “tough guy” image, revered by so many straight white males. I liken that to how 60% of men who voted for George W. Bush said they voted for Bush because they liked his swagger. Forget that he was dumber than the average pancake. Wayne justified ROBBING the land from Indians in the same voice that Bush justified going to war against Iraq.
GayEGO
Well lets face it, John Wayne was a butch!
abfab
A bitch. I’m sure that was just a typo.
hotshot70
I cannot see the pic. Can someone share it? I cannot see twitter