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Will the shift in male model ideal affect gay men adversely?Even watching Bravo's Make Me A Supermodel, it's clear that the male modeling industry is becoming more and more interested in "lean" models rather than the ubber masculine/athletic/muscular prototypes that have ruled ever since I can remember. I did not know that it had reached the extreme that it appears to have until I read the linked article, titled The Vanishing Point, from today's (2/7/2008) New York Times. I think that it's a good read for gay men men as we tend to struggle with body-image issues much more so than out straight counterparts. As such, putting aside health issues, which are obviously not immaterial, I am interested in how it may affect us at the macro level as the look seems as unattainable as was porn star/overly muscular that has served as the calling card for gay masculinity/attractiveness. Do you guys feel that this modeling ideal that the article points to is isolated to the runways? Or is this "ideal" culture-based and that the runway is reflecting that? http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/07/fashion/shows/07DIARY.html?th&emc=th The Vanishing Point
Submitted by Guillermo Serri... (1576 points) (432 posts) on Thu, 2008-02-07 14:30. |
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Body image
is a tough thing, and while I agree that the hyper-muscularized image isn't good; the photo of the young man above doesn't strike me as desirable either (I think he looks rather scrawny and underweight). I don't think its limited to the runway, 'geeky/dorky' is in (as made popular basically by Adam Brody on The O.C.).
How much body issues do gay men have, given the emphasis on 'pride' in our community as well as the flabergasting things some men wear?
I'm not saying it doesn't exist, but I don't believe its as wide spread as it is in the heterosexual female community.
I like them/me with some meat on their/my bones
...but the designers seem to want them almost child-like as these guys are other examples of the guys strutting their stuff this past week in the New York shows.
I don't find this attractive and maybe it's an issue of designers wanting models to serve walking coat hangers to take the focus off the model and put it on the flow of clothes. Print is also supporting this, but it is balanced by the beef cake of underwear ads. Hopefully the body extremes will go away as it would be great to have models represent all body types but history tells of otherwise. The following quote may say it best:George Brown, a booking agent at Red Model Management, said: “When I get that random phone call from a boy who says, ‘I’m 6-foot-1 and I’m calling from Kansas,’ I immediately ask, ‘What do you weigh?’ If they say 188 or 190, I know we can’t use him. Our guys are 155 pounds at that height.”
Those Kansas boys, if at least 21, can call me instead.
Designers
I have noticed that many designers have a slightly misanthropic attitude towards fashion and indeed see models as merely walking clothes hangers. They tend to forget that the purpose of clothing is to adorn the human body, not that the human body is a frame to support clothes.
Of course, this is why 90% of the stuff shown on catwalks does not look good when worn by people with normal bodies. This is true of men and women alike. And this explains why the average person is still wearing jeans and t-shirts despite the creations that designers show off during Fashion Week.
Sickly
For a long time being very skinny was viewed with considerable discomfort in the gay community because of AIDS. During the 80's and 90's being as thin as the boys in the pics was often interpreted as meaning one was HIV+. This is a large part of what drove gay male culture to embrace the ideal physique as being very built and muscular, because it looked healthier. Of course this was superficial, and no indication of someone's real status, but it was often perceived that way.
People are less sensitized to AIDS nowadays and the skinny "twinkie" look is popular, but I don't think to the extent that skinny women are with straight men. Decades of muscle worship have left many gay men with a preference for gym bodies, and while that may lead to runaway dieting in an effort to get to nearly non-existent body fat, there is still a preference for having sculped muscles to go with one's narrow waist.
So I don't think that we would see the same kind of phenomena that is seen with straight women on weight issues. Atkin's abuse, and the resulting cholesterol problems, could be an issue to some extent however.
Not just us
Ideal body.
I think we all have our own idea of what the "ideal" is.Personally, I love muscles and it doesn't matter how popular this lean body type gets it won't change my mind about what I find sexy and desireable.I don't see what's in with male models at the moment, and think "that's what's hot.I gotta look like that".I might be more prone to that if it happens to be what I already consider ideal, but even then I realize that that might, or might not be realistic for me to achieve.It's a nice goal to shoot for, but Either way, I see that kind of beauty, and can enjoy it for what it is.
As for body image issues, I think I might have to agree with Theroux.The media tends to focus on girls who starve themselves to be skinny, but don't really talk about the pressure a lot of straight guys, especially the ones who play sports, feel to be bigger.They mix all kind of things to bulk up.
Walking Hangers...
Is probably a good way of describing these kind of models. The thing, though, is that these models actually have a very limited usefullness as models; they will NOT look good in underwear or swim suits, so I think their use will be limited.
I've been watching MMASM, and the guys there do not fit this image with the possible exception of Casey. The rest of them are built, and you need definition in order to make the clothing-lite gigs work. JDMA shows the same - lean guys with muscle tone and definition. And, honestly, I think that this body type is attainable as long as you're active. Cardio and lifting gets you there - muscle definition with low fat. Granted, when you take this to the extreme is when you gut the muscle Marys out there.
I Dunno
I live in a small college town and I have to say the fad of really skinny gay boys in low riding slim-fit jeans with floppy in-their-eyes-hair is quite the fashion this year. But being young and gay in this area is hard enough, so I'm not throwing any stones at these kids.
I can't say where they're getting it from but if that fashion has infiltrated here, then it must really be getting around.
I'm rather slim myself, but I have no six pack or gorgeous eyes to back it up with.
On a personal note, I have to say that I find it hard being gay and average looking. I couldn't stand "Queer as Folk" for the simple reason that everybody on that show was absolutely RIPPED. Jealousy, thy name is Mikey.
Don't trouble yourself Doctor -- I'm a celebrity, I'll write my own prescription.