Recently on my website I wrote about the new female pubic styles. Actually until recently I knew virtually nothing about this exotic world, and became aware of it only through a sign that appeared in downtownAmherst, Massachusetts, which is where I live. As a gay male, I don’t see too many female pubes, shaved or otherwise.
However with that post I included a video that I chose because I thought it showed the extent to which the male body image has changed regarding body hair. I didn’t really get into it on my site, but this seems like a more appropriate forum.
The question I’m raising is this, are straight men having to look more gay in order to attract straight women? First look at this video from a recent hit movie.
Notice that every single male in this clip has no body hair. Not many, not most, but ALL of the males are portrayed as hairless. I suspect that most of the actors had to shave to get that look. Obviously the makers of that movie thought it was important enough to tell the actors to shave. But why?
This is not a movie for gays. It is a mainstream, successful commercial release specifically targeted toward the demographic of straight teenagers. The actors are rising Hollywood stars who are being presented to the audience as desirable sex symbols. For young people looking for clues about how to be sexually attractive this new hairless appearance is sending both men and women a powerful message of how to be sexy if you’re a guy – shave!
It used to be that only gay guys and body builders would shave their body (and the sexuality of body builders was always sorta suspect anyway). I never did much of it because I just naturally have a body without much hair except on my head and between my legs. But I know lots of gay guys who have to shave their bodies regularly and it surprises me now to see straight guys starting to do it. I’ve been told by a lot of the students I encounter at UMass that more and more girls are telling their boyfriends that they think body hair is gross and asking them, or helping them, to shave it off.
I noitice that a lot of things that used to be considered gay are now becoming common among straight men. I mean isn’t the whole concept of the metrosexual just a commerically acceptable catch-phrase for the gaying of American masculinity?
I ask again my original question, hoping some of you straights can shed some light on it: Are straight men having to look more gay in order to attract straight women? And if so, why?
[addendum from Dan — and, of course, such a post wouldn’t be complete without this re-imagined , fabulously gay-ified trailer for the movie 300:
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