He Was One of the First Actors to Blur Gender Identity in Hollywood
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James Dean was noted for having both masculine and feminine qualities. He was desired by both genders as his ambivalent nature was appealing to everyone. Dean embodied both the bad boy and the sensitive soul. He’s said, “Only the gentle are ever really strong.”
It wasn’t acceptable to be openly gay in the 1950s. Those who came out or even suggested they might be bisexual were shamed and ridiculed. Dean never proclaimed that he was gay but actress Elizabeth Taylor and others in Hollywood have said he had an interest in men.
