Abstract: | The image of a man in popular gay literature, which has been analysed in the present article,
confirms the specific character of this type of writing. Addressed to the mass audience, and
referring to the clichè phenomenon, black‑and‑white
vision of reality, and hyperblization, the
popular literary works unequivocally profile and emphasise these aspects of reality which the
audience may consider interesting. A man is perceived mostly as a sexual object, as his physical
appearance, sexual activity, etc. are being highlighted. His personality and character features are
peripherial. The reasons for such a state of affairs may be numerous, yet two of them seem to be
most important. One is a desire to draw the attention of the mass audience who expects a text of
culture to abound with bold pictures of sex and corporeality (here, additionally, it is sex of a minority,
evoking outrage, and for a long time absent from Polish writings). Moreover, in such an
image of the world, one should discern another strong, scandalous and provocative emancipating
act of the representatives of sexual minorities. |