Down with the “Homies”: Artistic Expression, Group Identity, and Articulation of Gender in Sub Pop Culture

Abstract

This article examines the “Homies,” a group of small lifelike figurines primarily sold in Chicano communities around the southwestern United States. After reviewing the genesis of the figurines, this article explores the phenomenon they represent by focusing on three issues: 1) are these popular cultural productions a form of artistic expression? 2) do they function as a means of subcultural identity definition and formation? and 3) their depiction of gender roles. The conclusion offers some suggestions for the analysis of such subcultural by‐products and suggests additional strategies for analysis of their meanings within contemporary popular cultural studies.