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Marilyn Manson's fallout
4 years ago
So, im sure everyone knows about the truth comign out about Manson aggressively abusing his girlfriend back though 2007 to 2010. It came as a shock rto me but honsetly, its not too surprising looking at some of his media. I always felt that soem of the stuff Manson did back in the early 90s would not be good to do anymore these days.
Ive run into a bit of a personal conflict. The guy was a very important part of my youth experience and also my attempts to escape the religious indoctrination i had when i was younger. Regardless of his own intentions with his art, Manson came to represent much more for his fanbase namely the big strikeback against fundamentalist values and prudish american culture, and he was supposed to symbolize a sexual freedom that resonated with the youth with alternative sexualities. though he was straight his acts of playing up gender bending was incredibly rare back in the 90's. Pretty much every rocker back in those days stuck very strict to the heterosexual role dynamics. As a gay person his flipping of gender was special for me, because unlike other images of quees seuality that portrayed a dancing disco loving gaybar where everyone loved campy musicals. Manson offered up an image of a very dark and dangerous kind of queer sexuality that clicked so much better to socially unfit youth at the time. We needed a dark queer icon that was nto jsut the camp flippant squealing sissy of 'typical' gay media, but one that was powerful, dramatic, dark and brought forth our internal malaise at life as it was. Manson offered up something like that, even if he wasnt gay he himself said he made room for queer fans in his community.
So now the question comes to be.... what to do now that this has happened. My investment with manson was a bit more than just being a fan of his much. I actually incorporated his ethos into a number of my drawings, drawings i love dearly. I feel a great pain about the idea of that i might have to remove those images. This is especially so considering i made a Mansonesque character.... Mariel Malkarris the ferret. Mariel was a very special charater of mine. I didnt see him as an exact copy of Manson and Mansons identity, but there is no doubt Mariel's identity in his fiction is based off that same gnederbending threatening dark rockstar.
My problem is now is this character unacceptable to use anymore? Would i be doing a disservice to my friends or fans who have endured abuse by using him? I would like to say that Mariel is Manson only in imagery, I do not see him as Manson himself at all. But still this is a concern. Id like to hear input from people who have had to deal with abuse and assault in the past. I myself have dealt with abuse in a relationship before... though not as extreme as some of the things people talk about.
I knwo my art can have a lot of dark themes at times, but I do stress this stuff is fantasy and that is different from what happens in reality.
Ive run into a bit of a personal conflict. The guy was a very important part of my youth experience and also my attempts to escape the religious indoctrination i had when i was younger. Regardless of his own intentions with his art, Manson came to represent much more for his fanbase namely the big strikeback against fundamentalist values and prudish american culture, and he was supposed to symbolize a sexual freedom that resonated with the youth with alternative sexualities. though he was straight his acts of playing up gender bending was incredibly rare back in the 90's. Pretty much every rocker back in those days stuck very strict to the heterosexual role dynamics. As a gay person his flipping of gender was special for me, because unlike other images of quees seuality that portrayed a dancing disco loving gaybar where everyone loved campy musicals. Manson offered up an image of a very dark and dangerous kind of queer sexuality that clicked so much better to socially unfit youth at the time. We needed a dark queer icon that was nto jsut the camp flippant squealing sissy of 'typical' gay media, but one that was powerful, dramatic, dark and brought forth our internal malaise at life as it was. Manson offered up something like that, even if he wasnt gay he himself said he made room for queer fans in his community.
So now the question comes to be.... what to do now that this has happened. My investment with manson was a bit more than just being a fan of his much. I actually incorporated his ethos into a number of my drawings, drawings i love dearly. I feel a great pain about the idea of that i might have to remove those images. This is especially so considering i made a Mansonesque character.... Mariel Malkarris the ferret. Mariel was a very special charater of mine. I didnt see him as an exact copy of Manson and Mansons identity, but there is no doubt Mariel's identity in his fiction is based off that same gnederbending threatening dark rockstar.
My problem is now is this character unacceptable to use anymore? Would i be doing a disservice to my friends or fans who have endured abuse by using him? I would like to say that Mariel is Manson only in imagery, I do not see him as Manson himself at all. But still this is a concern. Id like to hear input from people who have had to deal with abuse and assault in the past. I myself have dealt with abuse in a relationship before... though not as extreme as some of the things people talk about.
I knwo my art can have a lot of dark themes at times, but I do stress this stuff is fantasy and that is different from what happens in reality.
Anyway, my point is I can appreciate his music and the impact he had on the pop music world (including the social justice ideas in some of his music) without approving of his behavior. I've been in abusive relationships, and was even sexually abused as a minor. But I can still say "I don't like this person, but their music means a lot to me."