ABSTRACT
The sexualized conflict is between the most “masculine” man of the West and the most “masculine” man of the East. Lee sets himself up as an object of sexual desire by juxtaposing his morning exercise, a display of his body, with this picture of several outlined figures embraced in a sensuous manner. Bruce Lee’s image, body, class ideology, and sexual identity cannot be separated from his racial identity, which, in turn, is linked to his nationalistic ideology. Bruce Lee realizes that in street fighting, one is often unarmed, so the one who has the most physical skills has the obvious advantage. Bruce Lee’s image and narratives link masculinity with race and culture by exposing his body and its physical prowess. Bruce Lee’s cinematic image exudes a sensuous quality for viewers of different racial, sexual, class, and gender backgrounds. The impact of Bruce Lee and his martial arts in America has been significant.
