Susan Bordo’s “Beauty (re)discovers the male body” discusses how, for a long period of time, it has been socially acceptable for men to view revealing pictures of women. However, she claims that it is now more commonplace for women to view these types of images of men too. Males being photographed without clothes used to be seen as taboo but Bordo argues that this perspective is shifting. She states that more and more men are comfortable viewing other naked males.
Bordo claims that when men do see other men naked, it’s in a sexualized way. She goes on to say how different our culture is now, and how much it has changed since the ’70s. In today’s society, there are more metrosexual men, which are defined as “a man who is especially meticulous about his grooming and appearance, typically spending a significant amount of time and money on shopping as part of this.” (Oxford Dictionary)
I feel like this change has come because it’s no longer just women who are being judged by their looks. Men are being held to the same standard now. There is more pressure on them to look good and be physically fit.
I think that Bordo’s essay is important because it highlights how different our culture is now than it was in the past. In the past, it was more acceptable for men to not care about their appearance. But now, society expects men to be just as concerned with their looks as women are. I think that this change is good because it shows that we are becoming more accepting of people regardless of their gender. We are no longer judging people based on outdated stereotypes. Instead, we are judging them based on their individual merits. And I think that is something to be celebrated.
Over time, I think it will become more normalized for heterosexual men to see sexualized images of other men – especially as the homosexual community continues to break down barriers and be more accepted in society at large. Of course, there are still some pictures that make straight guys uncomfortable but I believe this squeamishness will dissipate over time.
When Bordo wrote the essay, the AIDS epidemic was raging, and there was a lot of homophobia. This made it even harder for men to accept their own bodies, and to be comfortable with their own sexuality. I think this has changed a lot since then, and that men are now more comfortable with their sexuality.
I think Bordo’s essay is still relevant today. I think it is important to have these discussions, to break down the barriers that still exist between men and women when it comes to discussing beauty and the male body. I think it is also important to continue to challenge the traditional ideas about beauty, and to expand our understanding of what is considered beautiful.
I think having self-confidence is the primary steppingstone to success. If you trust in yourself, it’s no issue experimenting with your clothing style. I also think that men are more confident now than they were when Bordo wrote her essay. Back then, a man who dressed well would be deemed homosexual whereas now, I believe a man who takes care in his appearance is seen as even more masculine because he stands out from the norm. In “Honey, what do I want to wear,” Bordo suggests that men lack fashion sense and need female input when deciding what to wear.
I think this is wrong. I believe that men know what to wear, they just don’t want to take the risk of looking different. That’s why so many men dress alike; they don’t want to be made fun of.
But there are some men who do experiment with their wardrobe and their style. And I think that these men are the most confident ones. They know what they like and they stick to it, even if it means being different from the rest. I think that Bordo should have taken these men into account when she wrote her essay. Instead, she only focused on the typical “ masculine” man and how he’s supposed to look according to society.
I believe that Bordo’s “Beauty (re)discovers the male body” has caused a shift in how men dress. Men are now more comfortable expressing themselves through their clothing choices, and it is far more socially accepted for men to experiment with fashion than it was in the past.
For example, a man wearing a pink shirt would not have been as widely accepted 10 years ago as it is today. I think that the increased acceptance of the homosexual community is also a strong factor in this development, as there is now less social stigma around non-traditional masculine behaviors or interests.
The media does play a role in how men are “supposed” to dress, but I think that most men don’t really care about that. They just want to be comfortable in what they’re wearing and feel confident. The only time I see men getting caught up in what they wear is when they’re going on a date, or to a job interview. But even then, I think that as long as they feel good in what they’re wearing, that’s all that matters.
I definitely agree with Bordo when she talks about the Corporeal Turn. I think that the way we view our bodies has changed dramatically over the years, and will continue to change. With the advancement of technology, we are able to see our bodies in ways that we never could before. We can see inside our bodies, and we can see how our bodies change over time. This has led to a more critical view of our own bodies, and has made us more aware of the way our bodies look to others.
I think that the way we view beauty has also changed over the years. I think that we are now more accepting of different types of beauty, and that we are no longer limited by the “ideal” body type. I think that this is a good thing, because it allows people to feel more comfortable in their own skin, and it allows them to express themselves in ways that they couldn’t before.
I think that Bordo’s essay is important, because it brings up a lot of valid points about the way we view beauty, and the way we view our bodies. I think that her essay is relevant to today’s society, and I think that it is something that everyone should read.
