With the sudden and tragic passing of musical icon Prince, there has been an outpouring of admiration for the late artist. Much of this has focused on his musical career. But his contributions to gender expression have also been front and center.
Prince was a paradox in that he expanded the concept of what it meant to be a man while also deconstructing the entire idea of gender.
This article is an excellent personal account of the type of influence Prince had on a great many people; he gave us a model for being authentic and expressing sexuality and gender in a way that is unique. He showed us how “to embrace what is amorphous, not easily categorized, beautiful, and yet unknown.” He inspired a generation to express themselves musically, artistically and with a fashion sense that is unique and all his own.
When I first heard Prince I was in my adolescence and his music was raw, sexual and different. He was truly someone who pushed the boundaries of eroticism in his music and in his videos. I hope that his legacy lives on and continues to guide us toward a society where we are able to go beyond limiting beliefs and live openly and authentically.
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