Bad Bunny dishes on breaking gender norms through fashion: 'To me, a dress is a dress'
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In Bad Bunnyâs world, fashion is fluid, free and genderless.
The Grammy-winning reggaeton star opened up to GQ about his ever-evolving style in an interview published Tuesday. Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio MartiÌnez Ocasio, said he doesnât follow a rulebook when it comes to his fashion sense, and this includes dismissing traditional gender norms.
âIt depends on my state of mind,â Bad Bunny said of his style. âEverybody has to feel comfortable with what they are and how they feel. Like, what defines a man, what defines being masculine, what defines being feminine? I really canât give clothes gender.â
He continued: âTo me, a dress is a dress. If I wear a dress, would it stop being a womanâs dress? Or vice versa? Like, no. Itâs a dress, and thatâs it. Itâs not a manâs, itâs not a womanâs. Itâs a dress.â
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The Puerto Rican emcee has become known for incorporating androgyny into his presentation as an artist, sporting acrylic nails on the cover of Playboy magazine in July 2020 and even wearing full drag in his music video for âYo Perrero Sola,â released earlier that same year. Bad Bunny also donned a skirt during a performance on âThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallonâ in February 2020.
Because of the overemphasis on masculinity within Latin culture, Bad Bunny says his defiance of gender norms as a Latin music artist has created a polarizing public reception.
âLatino culture is very machista,â Bad Bunny told GQ. âThatâs why I think everything that Iâve done has been even more shocking. ⊠Urban Latin music, reggaeton, is a genre where you have to be the manliest, the baddest. Thatâs why itâs the most shocking too.â
The 28-year-old said he questions the nature of these gender-based limitations in the reggaeton genre. âIf I dress this way, I canât sing this way? Or if I dress like this, I canât listen to this type of music?â he said.
Bad Bunny has also tackled issues of gender within his music, with the lyrics of âYo Perreo Solaâ broaching the subject of violence and sexual harassment against women.
But ultimately, the âDakitiâ rapper says heâs offering a different perspective in his music, rather than forcing a message.
âItâs not like Iâm making a sermon. Iâm going to a club or being with friends. Itâs natural,â Bad Bunny said. âSo, when somebody listens to it ⊠and it changes their mind a bit, itâs not like theyâre going to be a new person, but they acquire something. They might start accepting things that they hadnât.â
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