Why are there so many hairstylists who are gay? Why are our homes so often featured in interior design magazines? What is it with gay men and femininity?
Why are we often the tastemakers of the fashion industry?
Why is there an entire décor resale website named “Previously Owned By A Gay Man”?
Is there a special gay “taste” gene yet to be discovered?
Alan Downs, in his popular book The Velvet Rage, argues that the reason that gay men are overrepresented as leaders in these industries is that we’ve had to become masters of hiding. As kids, our true selves did not get validated, and so we learned to create the appearance of beauty as a way to hide our “un-beautiful” selves from the world. “We’re experts in making things and people look good,” writes Downs.