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He-Man depicted from the front, with his right arm stretched out. The character is looking at the "camera" and smiling.
He-Man render from Masters of the Universe: Revelation (2021). His costume includes a harness, which were considered homoerotic in the 1980s. This aspect of He-Man's appearance has been cited as an example of queer coding.[1]

He-Man, a fictional superhero from the sword and sorcery franchise Masters of the Universe created by Mattel, has often attracted queer interpretations and discussions over his status as a gay icon. His first appearance was in the 1982 comics included with his toy figures. The animated television series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, which aired from 1983 to 1986, focused on the character and established traits that would remain consistent in future installments of the franchise.

Homosexual readings of He-Man have been discussed by cultural critics and academics, having also been referenced in other forms of media. He-Man has been noted for the homoeroticism and gay subtext surrounding his character. While the original series aired during a period of public suppression of homosexuality, elements of queer coding have been noted since He-Man's inception. Discussions have focused on his adherence to various gay stereotypes regarding his physical appearance, including connections to LGBT subcultures such as gay clone culture. His double life, being both He-Man and Prince Adam, has been viewed as reminiscent of closeted gay men. He-Man's relationships with other male characters—such as Skeletor and Man-at-Arms—have also been highlighted.

Since his creation, He-Man has become a gay icon and amassed an LGBT following, especially amongst gay men; the character has also been noted for his sex appeal to that demographic. According to various insiders and employees, Mattel is aware of and receptive to He-Man's gay icon status and his following in the LGBT community, as well as the perception of the character as a gay man.

Background

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He-Man is the protagonist of the Masters of the Universe toy line,[2] created by Mattel,[3] with his first appearance being during 1982 in minicomics packed with the toys.[4] The cartoon series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, based on Mattel's toyline,[3] first aired in 1983[5] and would go on to air 130 episodes, concluding its run in 1985.[6] The series established He-Man as the alter ego of Prince Adam of Eternia,[5] who is the son of King Randor and Queen Marlena.[7] He-Man and his allies battle against the forces of the villainous Skeletor and strive to protect the secrets of Castle Grayskull from his clutches.[7]

The original series aired during the presidency of Ronald Reagan (1981–1989),[a] which film scholar Jake Pitre acknowledges as a period in which producers attempted to "defuse any possible queer readings" of their cartoons.[10] Regarding this, Anthony Gramuglia of Comic Book Resources stated that because censors often prevented explicit representation of LGBT characters, creators often had to rely on queer coding, giving characters camp qualities to implicitly indicate their LGBT status.[1]

Homosexual reading

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According to professor Jeffery P. Dennis, cartoons are "unusually amenable to subtexts that hint at or even celebrate same-sex desire",[11] and "often produce a tacit validation of same-sex romantic or domestic relationships, even when the animators have no such interest".[11] Dennis says that even in cartoons that lack a same-sex pairing, readers may interpret a queer identity in a character such as He-Man, who "was muscular and never dated girls".[12] Professor Jes Battis also said the original cartoon series "dealt in themes of queerness and secrecy",[13] while Syfy writer Jordan Zakarin described it as "the gayest show that has ever been on TV".[14]

Appearance

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Literature professor Michael G. Cornelius has argued that homoeroticism is prevalent in the Masters of the Universe franchise,[15] highlighting how He-Man's muscular body was the focal point of the franchise,[16] and was highly objectified.[17] Cornelius describes He-Man's body as reminiscent of the Castro clone (or gay clone) look prominent in the United States when the original cartoon aired.[18] Gay clone culture was characterized by a butch and masculine look, and a muscular physique; alongside dressing like a blue-collar worker.[19] Cornelius noted that both the He-Man franchise and gay clone culture "fetishized […] the male form".[20]

Concerning the attention afforded to the male physical form, alongside its fetishization, Cornelius has written that within Masters of the Universe, the body acts as the "key signifier in the fashioning of male identity".[18] Similarly, in gay clone culture the male body is viewed simultaneously as "object of desire and object of subjective fashioning",[18] with gay clone culture requiring a muscular physique to "manoeuvre successfully".[18] Cornelius believes that while He-Man was likely not created to reflect this aspects of gay clone culture, both said culture and the Masters of the Universe franchise display similar social anxieties and desires regarding the male body that differ from the "larger heteronormative continuum present in society at the time".[18]

When it comes to specific aspects of the character's wardrobe, Cornelius further argues that many aspects of Prince Adam's and He-Man's individual outfits conform to various gay stereotypes.[15] Fetish wear designer David Chlopecki describes Prince Adam as a "very gay guy", highlighting him wearing lavender, pink, and white spandex, as well as his "blond pageboy haircut".[14] Slate's Sam Anderson—who described the original series as containing "accidental homo-eroticism"—also discussed Adam's clothing, particularly his "lavender stretch pants, furry purple Ugg boots, and a sleeveless pink blouse".[21]

Regarding the character's appearance after transforming, NPR described He-Man's outfit as adding to the show's homoerotic subtext given its resemblance to leather subculture.[22] Specifically, discussions have highlighted He-Man's harness,[14][23] which was considered homoerotic imagery in the 1980s.[1] Relating to this, Cornelius notes how the Village People modelled their outfits after the gay clone culture of New York and argues that He-Man, with his "leather strapping and 'furry underwear' ", would have "blended right in".[24]

Dual identity

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When Prince Adam says the phrase, "By the power of Grayskull, I have the power", he transforms into He-Man, the strongest man in the universe, and gains a variety of abilities;[25] the phrase also allows his feline companion Cringer to simultaneously transform into Battle Cat.[6] The only other people aware of his secret identity were Orko, Duncan / Man-At-Arms, and the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull who gave Adam his powers.[26]

The character's double life has been noted as containing queer subtext,[27] with The Guardian stating that the character became "renowned within the LGBTQ+ community" because they "saw parallels" in the secret life of Prince Adam.[28] According to Battis, Adam's need to "hide his true identity as [He-Man]" is one of the show's key queer aspects.[13] Highsnobiety's Sophia Atkinson noted his double life reflects the "difficulties of living as a gay man".[29]

British newspaper The Daily Telegraph said the character's dual identity represents a man's struggle to accept his sexuality; Prince Adam is closeted and has a secret while He-Man is "out-and-proud".[30] Writing for The Johns Hopkins News-Letter, Matt Johnson described the series' depiction of He-Man as a "thinly veiled treatise on the state of gay male sexuality in the eighties".[31] Johnson views Adam as a sexually repressed, closeted gay man whose transformation into He-Man represents his pent-up frustrations reaching their peak.[31]

Relationships

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While He-Man's sexuality has never been directly addressed, across various media in the franchise, the character has never shown romantic interest in women.[29][32] Skeletor's obsession with He-Man has invited homoerotic interpretations.[33] He-Man's relationship with Man-At-Arms, one of the few characters aware of his secret identity, has also been described as being homoerotic.[34] Men's Health has noted how He-Man's relationships with both Skeletor and Man-At-Arms contain a "will-they-or-won't-they tension".[35]

Gay icon status

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Gay fandom

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He-Man's homoeroticism and implied homosexuality resulted in the character and show drawing a queer audience when the cartoon first aired,[1] with the character being now viewed as a gay icon.[b] Wired magazine's Lorenzo Fantoni, describing He-Man as a "muscular blonde" who fights with "hairy men and equally muscular enemies", believes the character becoming a gay icon was inevitable.[37] Author and professor Jarrett Neal described the original cartoon as having featured such "blatant homoerotic imagery [that] Mattel can [receive] credit for captivating an entire generation of gay men";[38] Neal further stated he identified with Prince Adam and wished to attain the "physicality and confidence of He-Man".[39] Men's Health said gay men were one of the three core groups that were consumers of He-Man toys, alongside bodybuilders and law-enforcement officers.[35]

Sex appeal

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In conjunction with his status as a gay icon, He-Man has also been acknowledged to be a sex symbol for gay men. LGBT lifestyle magazine Out described the original series as "one of the gayest ... cartoons of all time", writing that the 1987 film "turn[ed] an entire generation of boys at least a little gay".[40] Instinct magazine's Gerald Biggerstaff described the original cartoon as being quite popular with gay men who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, and that for many of them, He-Man "prompted [their] gay awakenings".[41]

In 2003, HX Magazine editors compiled a list of must-see television series with attractive male leads;[42] He-Man was the only animated character to make the list, being described as the "object of all our childhood wet dreams".[42][c] British magazine Gay Times listed He-Man as a cartoon character their editors were attracted to while growing up, noting Dolph Lundgren's depiction of him in the live-action film.[43] In the same publication, actor Andrew Hayden-Smith said he realized he was gay while playing with his He-Man figure as a child, being attracted to the character's physique—particularly his pecs.[44]

Response from creators

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According to Erika Scheimer, lesbian daughter of Filmation co-founder Lou Scheimer, the company welcomed gay artists. She said that members of the studio "long[ed] to see themselves onscreen", often joking that He-Man is gay.[35]

Mark Morse, Mattel's director of global marketing from 2008 to 2017, stated in 2018 that the idea of representing him as openly gay in a future franchise had not been discussed at the company.[35] That same year, the company released the Laughing Prince Adam figure, which "seemed to nod to" gay interpretations of He-Man.[35] Morse, who created early prototypes, stated Mattel wanted to ensure the figure would not be viewed as offensive to the LGBT+ community.[35]

In an interview with gay online magazine Queerty, Rob David and Tim Sheridan, who work on Masters of the Universe: Revelation, discussed the character's homoeroticism and gay fanbase.[36] Sheridan, a gay man who is one of the show's writers, believes that the original show's themes led to He-Man fostering a gay fanbase despite not being openly gay.[36] He also said He-Man is coded in such a way in Revelation that his character can be interpreted in numerous ways, which Sheridan believes can bring people together.[36] According to David, who is an executive producer of Revelation and Mattel's Vice President of Creative Content, Mattel is "very comfortable" with He-Man's gay audience and the perception of the character as a gay man.[36]

Influence on other media

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ND Stevenson, the creator of the 2018 series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, has also called He-Man—alongside She-Ra—a gay icon,[45] He-Man's LGBT fanbase has been credited as helping provide support for the inclusion of openly queer characters in the She-Ra reboot.[1]

He-Man sitting on a rock, looking at Skeleto and smiling. Skeletor is shown from the back, nude, taking his mask off
A drawing by Benoit Prevot, auctioned off at the Skeletor Saves event, depicts He-Man and Skeletor about to have sex.[46] Their relationship has often been described as homoerotic.[47]

In Dan Fishback's Thirtynothing, a 2011 play focused on gay artists who died and the AIDS crisis,[48] Fishback discusses watching the cartoon in his childhood. The show's opening credits are shown, followed by footage of a 1989 demonstration organized by the AIDS advocacy group ACT UP.[49] Jayson A. Morrison discusses how in doing so, Fishback connects Prince Adam's transformation into the powerful He-Man by holding up a sword and reciting a phrase to LGBT individuals "who [gain] extraordinary powers as activists".[49]

In April 2011, David Mason, Brian Moylan, and Bradford Shellhammer held the "Skeletor Saves" charity art-auction event,[46] the proceeds of which went to the Ali Forney Center, an LGBT community center helping homeless LGBT youth.[50] Inspired by Mason's childhood love for the He-Man franchise and Skeletor, the auction included the work of fashion designers Helmut Lang and Marc Jacobs.[50][46] Writing for Canadian LGBT-focused Xtra Magazine, Helen Whithead stated the art show allowed artists to "explore the sexy, camp side of the homoerotic He-Man muscle fest".[51] Many of the works submitted to the event included portrayals of He-Man in gay and not safe for work (NSFW) situations, including him being seduced by Skeletor[50] and the two characters having sex.[46]

In 2017, British company Moneysupermarket.com created an advertisement that showed He-Man and Skeletor embracing and dancing, which Joe Glass of Bleeding Cool described as "on the homoerotic side".[47]

Following the 2005 release of Brokeback Mountain, which focuses on the emotional and sexual relationship between two cowboys, multiple parodies of the film's trailer were created and uploaded on YouTube.[34] According to Jennifer Malkowski, these fake trailers "amplif[y] queer subtext" found within works, with one such video titled "Brokeback Snake Mountain" referencing a subtextual romance between He-Man and Man-at-Arms.[34]

Notes

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  1. ^ American journalist and author Randy Shilts has noted Reagan's presidency for its rise in homophobia. According to Shilts, the 1980 Republican Party presidential primaries in preparation for the presidential election appeared to be a "contest to see which candidate could be the most staunchly antigay".[8] Reagan himself criticized the gay rights movement, describing it as "asking for recognition and acceptance of an alternative lifestyle which I do not believe society can condone, nor can I".[8] Reagan's response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which initially affected primarily gay men, was criticized as being inadequate and ineffective.[9]
  2. ^ Sources that cite He-Man as a gay icon:[35][27][32][36]
  3. ^ He-Man appeared in the list as himself, based on his appearance from the 2002 reboot.[42]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Gramuglia, Anthony (May 18, 2020). "Fabulous Secret Powers: Masters of the Universe's LGBTQ Fandom". Comic Book Resources. Valnet Inc. Archived from the original on March 18, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  2. ^ "Noah Centineo's Next Movie Role Already Has Fans Swooning Over the Costume". MTV. March 22, 2019. Archived from the original on November 27, 2020. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Suellentrop, Chris (June 26, 2007). "How an Obscure Collection of Japanese Action Figures Changed the Way We Play". Wired. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on May 9, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
  4. ^ Leslie, Lee (April 16, 2013). "The Surprisingly Awesome Comics History of Masters of the Universe". ComicsAlliance. Townsquare Media. Archived from the original on October 29, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  5. ^ a b "He-Man, a Princely Hero, Conquers the Toy Market". The New York Times. December 18, 1984. Archived from the original on December 9, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
  6. ^ a b Romano, Evan (July 23, 2021). "The Masters of the Universe: Revelation Voice Cast is Star-Studded". Men's Health. Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Bond, John-Michael (April 4, 2018). "Masters of the Universe is getting an epic reboot". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on April 23, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
  8. ^ a b Shilts 1993, p. 368.
  9. ^ White, Allen (June 8, 2004). "Reagan's AIDS Legacy / Silence equals death". San Francisco Chronicle. Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on June 26, 2012. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  10. ^ Pitre 2020, p. 23.
  11. ^ a b Sears 2005, p. 135.
  12. ^ Sears 2005, p. 136.
  13. ^ a b Battis 2021, p. 63.
  14. ^ a b c Zakarin, Jordan (January 29, 2018). "Why one expert says He-Man is the 'gayest show ever'". Syfy Wire. Syfy. Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  15. ^ a b Cornelius 2011, p. 167.
  16. ^ Cornelius 2011, p. 154.
  17. ^ Cornelius 2011, p. 155.
  18. ^ a b c d e Cornelius 2011, p. 156.
  19. ^ Cornelius 2011, p. 162.
  20. ^ Cornelius 2011, p. 157.
  21. ^ Anderson, Sam (May 11, 2006). "By the Power of Grayskull! - Rediscovering the heroic cartoon beefcake of my youth". Slate. The Slate Group. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  22. ^ "Show, Don't Mattel: Masters Of The Universe: Revelation Is Toying With You". NPR. July 24, 2021. Archived from the original on October 2, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  23. ^ Cornelius 2011, p. 158.
  24. ^ Cornelius 2011, p. 163.
  25. ^ "Panda director 'for He-Man movie'". BBC News. BBC. January 30, 2009. Archived from the original on October 22, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  26. ^ Melrose, Kevin (July 23, 2021). "Masters of the Universe Confirms Another Character Has Known He-Man's Secret". Comic Book Resources. Valnet Inc. Archived from the original on August 12, 2021. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  27. ^ a b Collins, Hannah (October 10, 2017). "Queer Heroes: 15 Superheroes Who Are Gay Icons". Comic Book Resources. Valnet Inc. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  28. ^ "T Mark Taylor, He-Man and Masters of the Universe toy designer, dies aged 80". The Guardian. December 26, 2021. Archived from the original on December 31, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  29. ^ a b Atkinson, Sophia (November 10, 2015). "The Complete History of Queer Characters in Cartoon Shows". Highsnobiety. Archived from the original on March 28, 2020. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  30. ^ "The long and speculative history of gay characters on children's TV shows - He-Man". The Daily Telegraph. January 28, 2016. Archived from the original on May 9, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  31. ^ a b Johnson, Matt (October 4, 2001). "How man is He-Man?". The Johns Hopkins News-Letter. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  32. ^ a b Angelina, Gabriella (May 29, 2024). "Muscle up! Red, White & Royal Blue's Nicholas Galitzine to star as He-Man in live-action Masters of the Universe film". Out. Pride Media. Archived from the original on May 31, 2024. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  33. ^ Matadeen, Renaldo (December 2, 2021). "Masters of the Universe Just Redefined He-Man - and Cartoon Masculinity". Comic Book Resources. Valnet Inc. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  34. ^ a b c Elledge 2010, p. 140.
  35. ^ a b c d e f g Huls, Alexander (September 21, 2020). "Why He-Man Is a Gay Icon". Men's Health. Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on May 15, 2021. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  36. ^ a b c d e Reddish, David (July 23, 2021). "He-Man writers on character's enduring homoeroticism in Masters of the Universe: Revelation". Queerty. Q.Digital. Archived from the original on July 25, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  37. ^ Fantoni, Lorenzo (January 19, 2017). "He-Man su Netflix, da cartone animato a icona gay" [He-Man on Netflix, from cartoon to gay icon]. Wired (in Italian). Condé Nast. Archived from the original on December 31, 2021. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  38. ^ Neal 2015, p. 12.
  39. ^ Neal 2015, p. 14.
  40. ^ Brathwaite, Les Fabian (June 28, 2016). "Kellan Lutz in Talks to Play He-Man in Masters of the Universe Reboot". Out. Pride Media. Archived from the original on January 18, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  41. ^ Biggerstaff, Gerald (May 14, 2021). "Netflix Sets Date For Sequel Series of Eighties Cartoon, He-Man". Instinct. Juki Media. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  42. ^ a b c "Homo Must See TV". HX Magazine (599): 24–25. February 28, 2003. ISSN 1524-0339. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
  43. ^ "Cartoons We've Fancied". Gay Times. No. 382. Millivres Prowler Group Ltd. 2010. pp. 52–54. ISSN 0950-6101. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
  44. ^ Hayden-Smith, Andrew (November 2016). Scott, Darren (ed.). "My Gay Life". Gay Times. Millivres Prowler Limited. pp. 158–159. ISSN 0950-6101. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
  45. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Comic-Con International (July 26, 2020). Out In Comics 33: Virtually Yours - Comic-Con@Home 2020. Retrieved July 27, 2021 – via YouTube.
  46. ^ a b c d Lamar, Cyriaque (March 30, 2011). "Check out Skeletor Saves, a He-Man-themed art show for a good cause (NSFW)". Gizmodo. G/O Media. Archived from the original on July 25, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  47. ^ a b Glass, Joe (September 5, 2017). "Skeletor And He-Man Are Back With MoneySuperMarket And It Is Epic(ally Gay)!". Bleeding Cool. Avatar Press. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  48. ^ Morrison 2018, p. 183.
  49. ^ a b Morrison 2018, p. 184.
  50. ^ a b c Mathias, Christopher (April 5, 2011). "He-Man Inspired 'Skeletor Saves!' Event To Raise Money For The Ali Forney Center". HuffPost. BuzzFeed. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  51. ^ Whitehead, Helen (April 21, 2011). "By the Power of Gayskull". Xtra Magazine. No. 691. Pink Triangle Press. p. 8. ISSN 0829-3384. Retrieved October 17, 2021.

Bibliography

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