emmanuel reynaud holy virility the social construction of masculinity

matter of getting over a simple aversion, it would probably not
be as frequent or intense as it is: in fact it is more deeply rooted.
For homosexuality itself is not just a relation between
individuals of the same biological sex, it is also sexuality
outside the traditional relation of man-woman appropriation.
Homosexuality directly threatens man's power, as it excludes
him when it is between women, and when it is between men it
represents the risk for him of being sexually appropriated. He is
not inordinately put out by lesbianism, he often creates a
reassuring image of it which pervades his fantasies ―'It's so
beautiful to see two women together!'― and when he is tired of
being a voyeur, or it does not satisfy him, he knows he can
always retrieve his power through insult, derision or rape. On
the other hand, the possibility of being used as a sexual object
by a man usually causes him great anxiety.
It is not masculine homosexuality in itself that frightens man,
but a certain type of homosexuality. In its so-called 'active' form,
it does not necessarily make him feel ill at ease: it does not go
against his usual values ― he may even find it more exciting to
dominate a man rather than a woman. Active homosexuality has
a long history of legitimation: it flourishes in military uniform or
in other spheres of triumphant virility. It is hardly necessary to
mention the ancient warriors ―Persian or Greek, for example―
who frequently raped their defeated enemy. One only needs to
open a pornographic magazine for homosexuals to illustrate the
same point: the photos often show extremely virile men, with
virile 'props' ― officer's helmet, thick leather, muscles, chains,
threatening members, etc.
[Man and sexuality / 55]
In everyday language, the homosexual is not really the man who
has sexual intercourse with another man, but rather he who is
supposed to be passive: the 'queen', the 'poof', the 'fairy'... in
short, a woman. Whereas man can consider homosexuality in
its 'active' form as a means of asserting his power, in its
'passive' form it is, on the contrary, a symbol of humiliation. As
is often the case, words speak for themselvesman does not 'get
fucked', he 'fucks'.
He wants to maintain control over himself, and the image he has
of 'passive' homosexuality symbolises the loss of his powers.
To 'get stuffed' is to be had, to no longer be a man, to be
passive in the face of circumstances and his own pleasure, not
to dominate the situation but to submit to it. The very use of the
terms 'active' and 'passive' to define homosexuality (and sexual
behaviour in general) reveals how sexuality is seen as a
struggle; for, outside the context of a power struggle, activities
such as 'penetrate' or 'be penetrated' are both as passive or
active as each other, and pleasure itself is neither active nor
passive, it simply flowers when given a chance.
Man's fear of homosexuality is the expression of his fear of
sexuality and his wish to dominate through sex. He does not