*has read this topic with fascination*
Hasn't this topic been completely pulled out of proportion?
I can see how an interview where homosexuality was discussed can lead to thoughts about yaoi and cross-dressing, two subjects I think don't share much of a connection, but is this discussion in the right forum section?
My two pence:
First: Art has no gender.
To me that's what the biggest idea behind cross-dressing is.
Secondly: I believe it was Kyuketsu who already spoke about the element of taboo and shock. And what would shock the society more than a guy dressing up as a woman and *le gasp* performing sexual tinted actions on stage?!
VK is about extremes; trying to find the set borders and cross them. Personally, it was this element of 'extremism' that got me interested in this style. We find this in other musical genres too; From Elvis's vulgair hipswaying in the 50s, the punk-rockers from the 70s and 80's who were against anything institutional and more, to todays musicians/bands like Marylin Manson, Cradle of Flith and Dimmu Borgir, who are basically out there to shock. And they were/are massively popular, (specially amongst the people who try to be different amongst the rest).
I still have to much respect for a lot of Japanese VK musicians to say that they do all these extreme things to draw public to them (though some bands indeed seem to use this element for that). I still like to believe it comes all from the desire inside every human to express themselves and in that try to cross the borders set by society.
One can also choose to cross-dress as a statement. Robert Smith (The Cure) once went dressed in a dress to highschool to shock and because he was asked to express himself.
There is something I read here that I had never thought about. I forgot who wrote it, but it was something along the lines that the feminine dressed bandmember in a VK band was their to appeal to the female fans. Never thought about that, will give it some more thought ^^ Thank you.
BTW in linking yaoi with crossdressing... think about this: Yaoi fanfics or with the term I started to know it: Slash first started with Star Trek in the 70s and later with bands like Guns 'n Roses and Metallica... not much crossdressers in those ne?