Written for the album MASC and was included as a bonus track on MASC DELUXE, I OWN IT is a song about the shame that is placed up men just for being men. This is called masculine shame and it is a very tough thing to deal with. Men are shamed all the time for their never ending well of creative, sexual energy. Their bodies are shamed by others who are afraid of men, masculinity and maleness.
The music video for I OWN IT shows men bound in ropes and covered in dirt and grime. This symbolizes the shame. To work through the shame, men must realize that it exists. Working through masculine shame is an ongoing process. It was installed in a man over many years and often over decades. It doesn’t go away in a day, even though we might want it to be instant.
For gay men, this song and video can be extremely erotic and full of symbolism. It is not necessarily a “queer anthem” but it can be considered a song for all men. Gay men and straight men have much they can learn from each other. The male bodies in this video are beautiful and marred by marks. Their clothing ripped and dirty. But these can be cleaned and washed away. Just like the masculine shame that many men feel. It can leave at any time should a man choose to own who he is and no longer be ashamed of it.
Music for gay men does not often dabble in the rock genre, but for a power anthem dealing with masculine shame, it fits the theme.
