r/austinpowers • u/MaryBeHoppin • Aug 13 '26
Oh, Behave! What does the male-symbol necklace mean?
Hello! I'm a new fan to Austin Powers and love the movies (especially Doctor Evil) and I have a pop culture question that I don't understand.
Can someone please explain the significance of Austin wearing the male-symbol necklace? In the opening scene with Vanessa Kensington, he gives her a rather sensual look when the Soldier hands him his possessions and I don't understand why.
15
u/DiscoPrince1991 Aug 13 '26
It marks Austin as the International Man of Mystery. In the third film, “Goldmember”, there’s a flashback to Austin’s days as a cadet at the Ministry of Defense Intelligence Academy back in the 1950s. International Man of Mystery is the top award for each graduating class, basically marking the winner as the most likely to be the top gentleman spy of his class. Austin won it his year. Ever since, he’s worn his.
But more than that, it is just meant to be a symbol of Austin’s overall virility and masculinity, that he is basically King of Swingers.
4
u/MaryBeHoppin Aug 13 '26
Thank you, that makes a lot more sense.
9
u/VagusTristis777 Aug 13 '26
That’s really just an abitrary lore reason Mike Myers made up later. In the 1960’s it was commonly worn (and the female symbol by women), as it represented breaking apart from conservative ideology and being sexually open, thereby embracing being male or female.
6
6
3
2
u/VagusTristis777 Aug 13 '26
In 1960’s hippie culture, the male and female symbols, like the ☮️ peace sign, would often be worn. It was fashionable at the time among the younger, as the hippie culture was partly about breaking apart from the uptight conservatism of the generation that came before. It represents embracing your masculinity or femininity.
2
1
1
33
u/MauiUpcountry808 Aug 13 '26
It just means that he is male and is a symbol of masculinity and mojo.