Fop

A term coined in the seventeenth century describing a fashionable man obsessed with his appearance. Fops often carried with them extreme feminine undertones, however the connection between these characteristics and homosexuality came much later in the fop’s history. In early American history the fop was often described in opposition to American masculinity characterized as “rugged, aggressive, unafraid of fighting, and comfortable asserting himself” (Bronksi 29). This “American man” ironically did not describe most of the founding fathers, though American masculinity was quickly tied to patriotism and love of country while foppishness was identified as British. [Alex]