Whenever I have mentioned my crush on Prince to staight guys they all say "He's gay?" or "He looks like a woman." He can be androyonus at times but I get a macho kinda vibe from him sometimes. Even male Prince fans, when women who say how attracted they are to Prince perplex you?

It's just posturing, as far as I'm concerned.
The typical "male" feels an inner conflict and a bit threatened at having to admit that another "male" is attractive. It's a silly notion, but it's true.
Just another one of those annoying things that can be chalked up to "primal urges".
Being of a bisexual nature, I can fully understand the attraction to him...and, yes, have even been there myself... .
So there...

It's funny how times change because, back in the day, Prince's biggest fans were straight black males. Prince's music was hard enough to compete with all the other hard jamming artists at the time like Rick James, Cameo, The Barkays, etc.

Males tend to like the harder stuff more and the "so-called" harder stuff these days is rap and Prince's look definately does not fit into that type of music.

Androgynous at TIMES? No, Prince is always androgynous, be it the clothes or the hair. Knowing what an anti-gay society this is, I find it hard to believe that so many women look past the veneer and drool over him. Let Usher try some androgyny. Career OVER! Back in the days when Duran Duran, Adam Ant and Boy George wore makeup, you couldn't tell who was what, so we chalked it up to fashion sense. Prince must be hip to that, since these days, his outfits are variations on menswear. They look like costumy suits, with no lace, ruffles, etc.
[Edited 12/24/04 10:59am]

Krystal666 said:

No it doesn't perplex me at all. I'm a straight man and I can understand why Prince attracts so many women. The man is phenomenally talented, can write some of the most interesting songs about love/lust and male female relationships and his aura is very seducing. Contrary to Prince's perceived image and all of the make, clothes etc. is a VERY masculine man. Prince's stage persona is only part of his personality. I've always liked the fact that Prince presented an alternative to the way that men are perceived and that he has been able to attract more beautiful women than the average stereotyped, hyper masculine male. Besides, Prince's music has helped me get into the minds of more than a few women all the while providing the perfect back drop at the moment!
[Edited 12/24/04 11:29am]

not even gay men understand that

its a damn shame, but I have to be careful who I even mention his name around, or that Im a fan, without being accused of being bi, or gay or whole discussion about him being bi, or gay, Im totally straight, I get pissed off, because closed minded people have no idea what they are talking about, I just dont mention him anymore.

Prince's androgynous image definitely plays a role for me. More often than not, I find myslef attracted to men who have stereotypically "female" traits and women who have stereotypically "male" traits -in both personality and looks.

I once spent a month drooling over this completely androgynous person at my school. No one had any idea if this person was male or female, and being bisexual, I didn't much care. Hot is hot. Turns out this person was a guy.

Same thing with Prince. He's hot because he can be so so girly.

This guy does.

But really, I'm sure most do.

C'mon, it's Prince we're talking about.

This guy is the personification of lust and romance in the same breath. How could any woman resist that?

DorothyParkerWasCool said:

You hit the nail on the head, because the bold part sums up why I am attracted to Prince. There is not a man that could ever get my attention with the androgynous look. It actually is a turn off, except with P. Plus, I am 5'8", so you would never catch me with a 5'2" man, unless of course it was Prince.

The idea that a gay man has a greater understanding of the female mind is obsured. Being gay doesnt make you any more a 'woman' than a straight male is. Love is love, regardless of gender and sexual preference. So in answer to the question - 'Do straight guys understand why women love Prince?' i would have to say, maybe some do, maybe some don't. Maybe some think thay do and maybe belief in ones own beliefs is all that is needed. There is no consensus on how Straight Men collectively think.

People confuse homosexuality with a whole host of irrevelant paraphernalia i.e the way somebody dresses.

I grew up listening to Prince from an early age (around 9yrs old). Never once did his dress sense or androgyony strike me as odd or confusing. To me Prince is just a beautiful and individual man.

Step outside the box people.
[Edited 12/25/04 5:39am]

howcomeudontcallme said:

I don't really understand it when women do like him THAT much,but then again,most of the times I don't understand 'em..

Krystal666 said:

actually i was 1 of thoz guys (back in the day) who was like "Prince is Gay" becuz either my friends were sayin' it (becuz i was a BBoy in2 HipHop in the 80's & 90's & some Retro (Punk/New Wave). but when i SERIOUSLY started listenin' 2 Prince back in the "Gold Experience" days i started 2 understand how much i was like Prince. meaning, i wasn't the macho type & how can some1 like P b gay & have all thoz Georgeous WoMen around him. but then P isn't a Normal Rock Star if u want 2 call him that. he's not Normal by any standards... go ahead & crush on sis...

I think they like him for the same reasons

I understand, Prince is very seductive. Guys that say "Prince is a faggot" dont know enything about Prince or dont like how Prince gets all the women.

My attraction isn't so much a sexual one with P (maybe because he's my father's age?) so much as its an attraction to him and others that are truly talented/ divinely gifted and inspired.
That and he just can write a song about just about anything and add meaning and substance--

the man has a song about email, a pc, that would blow bill gates' mind....

As for the androgyny-- i just see it as a manifestation of a brilliant mind unwilling to b defined as 1 thing...

Males calling him gay--- is it because on some level they find him attractive? It is said that homophobia and hate are just signs of unexpressed....homosexual feelings. ....

Krystal666 said:

What kind of straight male friends do you hang out with anyway?

who gives a shit?
move on....
enjoy the music,it's as close to being with prince as any of us is ever gonna get.you will never date him,talk to him,play b-ball with him etc...

WhamBamGlamSlam said:

-----
He only wore the lace from late 82 to the end of the PR tour. Not sure why people make it seem as he was wearing lace up to last year(LOL).

As for guys they spend a lot of time trying to be macho and then they see woman screming over a skinny, pretty boy. Of course they are going to irritated.
[Edited 12/26/04 14:26pm]

He has worn lace all throughout his career. Especially during the early part of the 90s. Hell, even his ASS was lace back then.