The argument for a new gay identity is examined by S.V. Koumakis.

‘Gay is dead.’

So begins Androphilia: A Manifesto by Jack Malebranche, in which the American author expounds his uncompromising views on modern gay identity, and his vision of a masculine ideal of excellence that recalls the warrior ethos of ancient Greece.

“The word ‘gay’ describes a whole cultural and political movement that promotes anti-male feminism, victim mentality and leftist politics,” says Malebranche, who advocates use of the term ‘androphilia’ to express ‘a sexual love and appreciation for men as it is experienced by males’.

Readers’ feedback on Malebranche’s website describes how the book resonated with them. Yet the author has also met with criticism and has even been accused of homophobia.

“To accept homosexuality in oneself is now equated with accepting an intrinsic effeminacy, and any denial of this is widely believed to be symptomatic of ‘internalised homophobia’ … The real ‘internalised homophobia’ is the belief that you can’t truly be a man simply because you love other men,” Malebranche argues in his manifesto.

The author, who describes himself as “an unrepentant masculinist,” also admits to having once been a go-go dancer in New York’s club scene.

“I’ve challenged gender constructs. I’ve done drag. I talked the talk and fagged out with the best of them,” he says.  

Feminists might claim that Androphilia: A Manifesto encourages men to become misogynists. How would you respond to this?

Androphilia does not in any way advocate the abuse of women or hatred of women, and it takes no position on the role of women in society. It is a book written by a man specifically for men.

Critics suggest there are statements in your manifesto that would break up the gay community if taken to heart.  What is your view?

Gay leaders frequently talk about a need to ‘build coalitions’ but these coalitions always seem to pit homosexual men against straight, white men - the scapegoated universal enemy of all minorities.

What homosexual men really need is to work on building a coalition with straight men. They need to start building a history of friendships and positive interactions with straight men that will give straight men cause to stand with homosexual men and stand up for them, instead of against them.

What advice would you give to an adolescent youth coming to terms with same-sex desire?

Let your own actions and interests define your character; don’t rely on the easy, one-size-fits-all comfort of the gay identity. There’s nothing wrong with sex, there’s nothing wrong with being homosexual, and there’s nothing wrong with wanting to find a relationship.

You can make your own rules and craft your own destiny. That’s what sexual liberation is really all about, isn’t it? Figure out for yourself what it means to be a homosexual man.

In your manifesto, you assert that ‘androphiles could become leaders of men in virtually any field’. What led to your keen appreciation of the masculine ideal and potential?

At some point I realised that what I really needed was a reality check and a kick in the arse. I needed to be challenged, not coddled. I needed discipline, linear thinking and goal driven, objective measures of achievement - not the endless circle of excuses, subjective evaluations and self-destruction.

I slowly began to appreciate the way men groom each other, the way they toughen each other up, push each other and discourage weakness. When I was a teenager, I dismissed all of this as macho bullshit, but as a grown man, I started to understand the ‘why’.

I started to appreciate the value of it and the role that it plays not only in making stronger men, but in making stronger, more durable societies. 

www.jackmalebranche.com

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