Appreciation of male beauty.

[Ladey Gags]

Well, I just saw the thread of our "definition" of beauty. In the thread, the discussion was mostly about female beauty. This really got me thinking. Why is it, that as a society, we have pretty much completely ignored the beauty of the male body, while only focusing on the female body?

If you look back at ancient civilizations such as Ancient Greece, male beauty appreciation was very much prominent in their culture. Nowadays, if a guy were to call another guy beautiful, he would automatically be labeled as gay. That's not necessarily true for women: many women recognize how beautiful their girl friends can be. It's just rather interesting to me that heterosexual males in today's society are shunned for looking at their fellow mates as gorgeous (not sexually of course, but just physically). Even though I'm gay, it's easy for me, and many of my other gay friends, to tell when a girl is hot or not. But is that the case for heterosexual guys? They surely don't openly speak about it.

Even art nowadays is more focused on the female body. Again, you don't have to be gay to realize how gorgeous a man is. It has nothing to do with sexuality. It's just sad to me that we've seem to forgotten the fact that the male body is just as beautiful as the female counterpart simply because men are afraid of being called queer. I personally think it has something to do with most men's insecurities about their own sexuality. However, that's just a theory of mine. I could be wrong. What are your guys' thoughts on the subject?

[rakhakash]

Hehe, I love this topic. I'm not gay but I like saying that a man is good looking. Friends and family don't even look weird anymore. I don't think I'll say it to strangers though, because indeed they'll immediatly think I'm gay.

[Shadowmelded]

I'm straight and I can admit that the likes of Robert Downie Jr, Johnny Depp and James Franco are attractive men. People are starting to loosen up in that regard, blame preconceived gender stereotypes that are forced on us by other males and male dominated society for it taking so long.

[Deleted]

Men can be quite beautiful, quite perfect.

You don't need to be anything other than a heterosexual to appreciate that fact.

[Dhurn]

I thoroughly enjoy calling my brother or friends "really, really ridiculously good looking" in a Zoolander voice if they're all spiffed up for something. I don't think I've ever used the word "beautiful" to describe a man though, I think I called Ryan Gosling gorgeous once.

[Chirri]

I really don't understand why males find other males so much more threatening than they used to. I don't even understand all of the different facets of the threat men represent to one another, much less how western culture has reached this point. I'm just assuming that lack of focus on the male body has something to do with it - homosexuality was a great deal more acceptable in certain ancient civilizations, and thus, seeing young males purely as sexual objects rather than threatening figures of one kind or another allowed for more art centered on the male form.

Perhaps we don't want our young men seen as sex objects, perhaps our young men in riskier positions would prefer not to feel forced to become sex objects. Women generally are trying to stop being seen as sex objects, so perhaps there's hesitation in allowing there to be a shift of focus to include young males.

Random rambling. Sorry.

[Deleted]

I find myself thinking "that guy has a nice cock" when i watch porn

notevengay.jpg

[semaphore]

It's cultural. Flipping through the Romance of the Three Kingdoms for instance, many male characters were described as having beautiful faces. It's just that Modern society have focused on beauty as a feminine trait.

[Aftonflickan]

Not sure about the current state of media across the pond, but here we've really started to see more naked men in advertising etc, which I think shows a shift in social acceptance ^^ very cool I'd say

[Buttfear]

I find myself thinking "that guy has a nice cock" when i watch porn

Is that the kind that scare women to death?

[Puck]

I'll join in on this, men are beautiful.



So pretty, I can't even, hnnnng

Matt Lanter, why u no mine?!

[gamhacked]

I am straight, but I shamelessly acknowledge, in my head or out loud if asked, when I think another man looks good.

I think it's something we, as a male-dominated, predominantly straight society focus less on because it doesn't bring us the same pleasure (chiefly sexual) that admiring the sex we find attractive does.

[blacklamb]

Because men run the entertainment and advertising industries for the most part. You'll have the rare tv show or movie that caters to people who appreciate a hot man (American Horror Story comes to mind), but until more straight women and gay men become involved in Hollywood, I don't think it's going to change anytime.

Also, this thread needs more pictures.

[Tommy T]

http://www.youtube.com/user/southern...?v=ygeWsoYYMuQ

This.

This is a man. This is beauty.

[Spectral]

I'm primarily straight identified, but love the appearance of great male bodies. The range of attractive male bodies is pretty broad in my opinion, as I think linebackers, mixed martial artists, soccer players, sprinters, and cyclists both can all look fantastic in their own ways. Love a lean body roped with muscles.

I can't say I care much for male faces much one way or the other. Just not really wired for it, I guess.

[Kasierith]

I'll join in on this, men are beautiful.


So pretty, I can't even, hnnnng

Matt Lanter, why u no mine?!

If it has no beard, it is not pretty!

Also, it's been speculated that it's because males are more stimulated visually than females, who are more tactile.

[PizzaSHARK]

Well, I just saw the thread of our "definition" of beauty. In the thread, the discussion was mostly about female beauty. This really got me thinking. Why is it, that as a society, we have pretty much completely ignored the beauty of the male body, while only focusing on the female body?

Because men aren't as objectified as women are. Take that for what you will.

If you look back at ancient civilizations such as Ancient Greece, male beauty appreciation was very much prominent in their culture. Nowadays, if a guy were to call another guy beautiful, he would automatically be labeled as gay. That's not necessarily true for women: many women recognize how beautiful their girl friends can be. It's just rather interesting to me that heterosexual males in today's society are shunned for looking at their fellow mates as gorgeous (not sexually of course, but just physically). Even though I'm gay, it's easy for me, and many of my other gay friends, to tell when a girl is hot or not. But is that the case for heterosexual guys? They surely don't openly speak about it.

I'm completely heterosexual. I don't have issues saying another man is attractive or even hot. It doesn't mean I want to bang him, it just means I agree with others when they're saying he's attractive.

Then again, I'm not a teenager and I'm secure in my masculinity. Maybe it takes a certain level of immaturity to actually give a shit if someone thinks you are or aren't gay. Even if I was gay... so fucking what? Is there something wrong with being gay?

Even art nowadays is more focused on the female body. Again, you don't have to be gay to realize how gorgeous a man is. It has nothing to do with sexuality. It's just sad to me that we've seem to forgotten the fact that the male body is just as beautiful as the female counterpart simply because men are afraid of being called queer. I personally think it has something to do with most men's insecurities about their own sexuality. However, that's just a theory of mine. I could be wrong. What are your guys' thoughts on the subject?

I think it's just that men are less objectified in current society. Certainly there are still male models and ads geared towards men; however, these ads frequently show less skin. I don't know what to make of that. But then again, I'm more interested in suits and ties, and if I'm showing a lot of skin while wearing a three-piece suit, that's probably a really crappy three-piece suit.

[Pull My Finger]

I can only speak for myself - but for me, it's pretty obvious why media, art, entertainment and everything focusses on the female body. Women are just so much better looking, in many ways, and there's no way a man can get close to how intriguing a beautiful woman can be.

Perhaps it's an evolutional toolset. Look at animal babies. Most of them are just so disarmingly cute that you'd have to be a filthy monster to be able to harm them. That's part of their survival kit. I figure that the female beauty is perhaps a feat that makes up for other things, like lack of muscle mass and stuff like that. And it's not like it doesn't get used.

[PizzaSHARK]

It's cultural. Flipping through the Romance of the Three Kingdoms for instance, many male characters were described as having beautiful faces. It's just that Modern society have focused on beauty as a feminine trait.

How is that book? Or books, I guess.

I played Destiny of an Emperor when I was a kid and liked it, and heard it was based off of those novels.

[Kasierith]

How is that book? Or books, I guess.

I played Destiny of an Emperor when I was a kid and liked it, and heard it was based off of those novels.

Can you memorize a few thousand Chinese names and somehow keep them in order while the book flies through them like flies? If you're like me and you can't, no. At least that's what I remember from it.