Thursday, April 29, 2010

Gender Fuck Thursday: Just One of the Guys

I’ve decided that my undying love for a woman in a tuxedo can be traced back to one distinct moment in time: The first time I saw the boob flash scene from “Just One of the Guys.” Don’t pretend you do not know what I am talking about, fellow pervs. That one simple scene rocked my preteen I-had-no-idea-I-was-gay-yet world to its core. To. Its. Core.


[NSFW, naturally]

But I think I’m really getting ahead of myself here. In the past week Jezebel has lovingly paid homage to and interviewed the female director of “Just One of the Guys,” the 80s teen girl-in-drag comedy. Slyly subversive yet steadfastly silly, the story followed a pretty student reporter who thinks she is being passed over for boys, so then dresses like one to prove her point. I loved this movie. Part of it was that it was played on a seemingly unending loop on HBO. As a pre-internet kid, I found out about the birds and bees, in large part, from our family’s pirated HBO signal. Let me tell you, learning about The Gay from premium cable can make for many, many confused years.

But that’s why a movie like “Just One of the Guys” meant so much to me, even though my full realization would come years later. It fucked with gender while acknowledging gender inequality and engendered my continual confusion of Ralph Macchio with a dapper butch girl.

As an aspiring writer (yes, even back then), I sympathized intrinsically with Terry’s predicament. The injustice! The sexism! As an aspiring gay (but, again, it took me forever to figure it out), I was unmistakably drawn to Joyce Hyser more in drag. Not because she looked like a boy, but because she looked like a really cute girl in boys’ clothing.

Which brings me back to the boob flash. Holy shit, the boob flash. Teen movies have never been shy about their lusty intentions and love of the jiggle. So a little skin is almost always to be expected. But the unexpectedly feminist narrative behind “Just One of the Boys” makes the scene so very powerful and so entirely unforgettable. In fact, at this moment, when declaring her femininity and love all at once, it almost seems a radical act. Also, damn, those are some really nice breasts. [Again, NSFW – but you know you cant resist.]

p.s. Don’t even get me started about the Sherilyn Fenn and the sock scene down the pants scene. We could be here for days.


p.p.s. Joyce Hyser, call me. And bring the tux.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Excellent piece, as always. Just one thing (i'm pedantic this way), isn't it PPS? As in Post Post Script?

Anonymous said...

Hahahaha! "Where do you get off having tits?!" Great stuff :D

Norma Desmond said...

Huh. I should probably see this at some point. I remember pirated HBO signals (my family had one for years and years), however, I have to say my gayness was rather shaped by Will & Grace... which explains why I have more in common with gay men than lesbians, probably.

Anonymous said...

my peaceful morning...

besides the prediction,
I have a honest question about this whole thing,

in this culture,
is it okay to bother people for like that long time?
even people express zillion times dislike.

just..
speechless.

Anonymous said...

and let me talk about,
still good weather, beautiful sunny sky,
cute birds singing in the morning~

so, today's post reminds me some stereo types
like when people make a movie or drama,

you know woman who likes to wear like man, or
opposite, man who likes wear like woman, make up,
so on...

by the way, I have to say this, I bought a shoe yesterday, cus my shoe finally got hole, not one,
like..

so I went to store, and found that there is few options, I hate this situation, so move to other place who have more options, and found really general shoe. and asked them bring my size, the guy who help me said you can't take it cus it's men's shoe, so I said what are you talking about, this is just addidas.

finally I found other shoe that match my pants, it was onishuka tiger, and he said no, cus it's men's.

at this point, I was getting up sat, and asked where is woman's then? and found such a corner bottom,
bottom place, there is tiny unwearable pink,..gold..
elementary kid shoe look like, cost $20 more than
the simple well design(men's shoe as he strongly believe).

finally after annoying argue I just bought same shoe but different color. so hated this experience,
and when I was on my way to home I found other
store has the shoe that I want in small size.

so, the point is, that's why people start design there own stuff because it's unbelievable there is
no such a nice design, just!

I'm very curious what the all the designers doing,now. he mentions sneaker designers are
generally men, and that's why women don't have
like that. so,

what if I wear men's is it gonna be issue?
I'm talking about design and cost.

thank you thank you! I know this is not shoe
complain blog.

have a great day! love you ds!!

Vale said...

and talking about Joyce Hyser, does this count as SGALGG?

http://l.yimg.com/eb/ymv/us/img/hv/photo/movie_pix/oscars/wwd_pre_oscar_party_photos/_group_photos/joyce_hyser6.jpg

Joyce Hyser hugging Rosanna Arquette really, REALLY close

Cyrus said...

I had the same experience with this movie, and I'm glad to finally know what it's called! I only saw it once, at age eight with my best friend. I remember being simultaneously terrified and attracted by it. That's what being a little queerling in Wyoming will do.

Unknown said...

Thank you for reminding me of this movie. My brother and I watched it together, and made fun of Hyser's movie brother :)
Great stuff.

Harvey said...

and this is how I know we are the same vintage! holy cow I just laughed out really fucking loud at the Karate Kid comment - yes, Ralph was indeed a totally confusing dapper butch gal! I too totally loved 'just one of the guys' and I also remember being really disappointed watching Freaky Friday when Jodie Foster changes from a totally hot tomboy to a feminized girl... seemed sooooo wrong even though as a pre-teen I could not articulate WHY! Thanks for that trip down memory gender fuck lane! ;-) x

Anonymous said...

dear anonymous 0643 and 0701, you can buy any shoe or sneaker you want, whether men or women's! It's YOUR money, not the sales clerk. Feel free to tell him that.

I buy men's shoes when I see something I like. I use "mens" shower gels, deodorants and cologne because I like the way they smell.

I do believe the only reason there is a difference still between a lot of "men's" and "women's" clothing, etc, is because, yes, companies do like to charge women more for an inferior product.

Anonymous said...

I forgot to say the last part of the shoe story,
at the end, what they made me to buy WAS,

exactly same shoe like my bro.

how rediculous!

next time, I'm gonna have more time to buy things,
I was in hurry, that's what all the unhappy result
happened.

betsey said...

Dear anonymous,
I can tell you that as a woman with very large feet, I buy men's shoes all the time. I like women's shoes but most of the time stores do not carry my size. If you need an excuse, maybe you could tell them you are buying them for your brother. You can say that you are trying them on because your feet are the same size. Can I ask, what country are you in?
Also, I was wondering what you were meaning when you said this:
"in this culture,
is it okay to bother people for like that long time?
even people express zillion times dislike."
were you talking about a part in the movie or this blog in general?

* said...

I totally remember this film...and wondered the same thing about myself.

Ah, the 80's.

CK said...

Never heard of the film until I read about it on jezebel.
But I have the feeling, I've seen the same szene including a cute, dark haired girl in a tux on a little WB show 10 (oh my) years ago:

http://katherine-moennig.org/gallery/displayimage.php?album=60&pos=60

Fannie Wolfe said...

I grew up watching this movie on the HBO infinite loop. LOL.

I can pretty much recite the entire thing from beginning to end.

"All balls itch, it's a fact."

Anonymous said...

how can you NOT notice a rack that big on anyone?