If " Real Men" Posed In Underwear Ads

[PhuturePriest]

That's a vast overstatement. Plenty of people expect just that.

 

 

Also this thread is dumb. Just because there are individual men who feel emasculated because they don't measure up to underwear models does not mean this is a societal problem. And that's the general trend I see with these FP "see men face discrimination too!" threads. So someone mentions it's not a big issue. Then they're accused of belittling or being dismissive. Then a bunch of gifs get posted. Same old thing.

 

Your threads are dumb. Just because there are individual women suffering with issues doesn't mean it's a widespread issue.

[PhuturePriest]

That's a vast overstatement. Plenty of people expect just that.

 

 

Also this thread is dumb. Just because there are individual men who feel emasculated because they don't measure up to underwear models does not mean this is a societal problem. And that's the general trend I see with these FP "see men face discrimination too!" threads. So someone mentions it's not a big issue. Then they're accused of belittling or being dismissive. Then a bunch of gifs get posted. Same old thing.

 

This is the issue I take with your statement: Yes, I agree, the issue with men feeling insecure due to increasing standards in the media is lower compared to the issue with women. But here's the thing: The issue with women didn't pop out of nowhere. It didn't just appear and it was already super bad. It started small, and it gradually grew more and more. Now it's finally happening with men, and it's going to do the same exact thing. More studies are being done now than ever concerning this issue with men, and the numbers of men struggling with it is on the rise. So I don't care if you don't think it's not worth talking about, it's a rising issue that will continue to rise with the increasingly unmatchable standards set by the media, just as it did with women.

 

But you seem to take my threads as a "See? Men struggle, too" thing. That's not technically my only purpose with these threads. Yes, I would like to spread awareness, but I'm also trying to stop the idea that we should only help women. Men need help too. The way I see it, I don't care if you're a girl, guy, if you're young, old, or whatever. If you are a part of a group that is struggling do to any number of reasons, that needs to stop. I don't care what the issue is or who it is, it needs to stop. That's my issue with singling out women and singling out men. Singling women makes it seem as if it's an issue because they're women, when the issue is simply that it's happening. It's the same with men. The issue is what needs to be dealt with, and saying the other sex can't struggle or that it inherently struggles less by virtue of being the other sex is detrimental to human rights.

[Perigrina]

That's a vast overstatement. Plenty of people expect just that.

 

 

Also this thread is dumb. Just because there are individual men who feel emasculated because they don't measure up to underwear models does not mean this is a societal problem. And that's the general trend I see with these FP "see men face discrimination too!" threads. So someone mentions it's not a big issue. Then they're accused of belittling or being dismissive. Then a bunch of gifs get posted. Same old thing.

 

I did some research when I saw his claims.  There is evidence to back them up.  

 

I think that ideally we should not be looking at this as a men's problem or a women's problem.  This is a human problem.  Consumerism is based on making people unhappy and discontented.  People who feel happy with themselves are not going to spend as much money.  There is an entire industry devoted to making us miserable.  As followers of Christ we should be filled with joy and gratitude, so this is an attack on our faith too.

[blazeingstar]

That's a vast overstatement. Plenty of people expect just that.

 

 

Also this thread is dumb. Just because there are individual men who feel emasculated because they don't measure up to underwear models does not mean this is a societal problem. And that's the general trend I see with these FP "see men face discrimination too!" threads. So someone mentions it's not a big issue. Then they're accused of belittling or being dismissive. Then a bunch of gifs get posted. Same old thing.

 

The real problem is that all the threads that FP posts are trying to have exact correlation to a woman's issue.  The truth is, that woman's issues and mens issues may have some common threads, but are very different.

 

Why is a "real man" underwear shoot different than a "real woman" underwear shoot.  Well porn for one, the other is that the women often look at or below 21, while men seem to remain able to model for substantially longer.   Women remove every inch of body hair which really alludes to a pre-pubescent look, while men, are encouraged to look muscular. Many women's issues DO stem from the doctored magazines.  But men's issues often stem from subtler sources everything from hardware store ads, to the phrase "man up".  They stem from steroids and testosterone.   Do you really understand what those are doing to men and boys these days?

 

These are TOTALLY different matters.  Women are not in the world where synthetic hormones are encouraged to make them more feminine.

 

But trying to make men's and woman's issues exact just leads to more people wanting to say things like "man up" because its truly insane.  Yes, there are boys and men who suffer from body image issues, but in the body-shape of male actors is a far cry from that of female actresses.  Muscles can be acquired, flawless skin and bigger breasts cannot be without surgery.

 

So instead of posting silly diatribe articles which do nothing except to further make both men and women roll their eyes, you may be better off finding articles that address the issues that men face that get to the root cause of their insecurities, not those that reflect what women face.

[arfink]

The real problem is that all the threads that FP posts are trying to have exact correlation to a woman's issue.  The truth is, that woman's issues and mens issues may have some common threads, but are very different.

 

Why is a "real man" underwear shoot different than a "real woman" underwear shoot.  Well porn for one, the other is that the women often look at or below 21, while men seem to remain able to model for substantially longer.   Women remove every inch of body hair which really alludes to a pre-pubescent look, while men, are encouraged to look muscular. Many women's issues DO stem from the doctored magazines.  But men's issues often stem from subtler sources everything from hardware store ads, to the phrase "man up".  They stem from steroids and testosterone.   Do you really understand what those are doing to men and boys these days?

 

These are TOTALLY different matters.  Women are not in the world where synthetic hormones are encouraged to make them more feminine.

 

But trying to make men's and woman's issues exact just leads to more people wanting to say things like "man up" because its truly insane.  Yes, there are boys and men who suffer from body image issues, but in the body-shape of male actors is a far cry from that of female actresses.  Muscles can be acquired, flawless skin and bigger breasts cannot be without surgery.

 

So instead of posting silly diatribe articles which do nothing except to further make both men and women roll their eyes, you may be better off finding articles that address the issues that men face that get to the root cause of their insecurities, not those that reflect what women face.

 

Birth control.
 

[blazeingstar]

Birth control.
 

 

That dosn't make a woman more feminine in appearance.  It simply turns her into a sex object.  Atleast men get muscles out of their hormones.

 

Plus, like it or not birth control is legal whilst the hormones that are in locker rooms from highschool to pro are not.

[arfink]

That dosn't make a woman more feminine in appearance.  It simply turns her into a sex object.  Atleast men get muscles out of their hormones.

 

Plus, like it or not birth control is legal whilst the hormones that are in locker rooms from highschool to pro are not.

 

Getting ripped makes you a sex object too, at least that's usually the point. Muscles like that don't actually have much strength. That hyper-definition is usually the last stage before your body begins destroying your musculature.

 

The legality of using the hormones has little bearing on the topic though, I'm afraid. :/ Society puts pressure on people do all kinds of things that are wrong, legal or no. I guess one of them being legal is nice though, maybe? I dunno.

[blazeingstar]

Getting ripped makes you a sex object too, at least that's usually the point. Muscles like that don't actually have much strength. That hyper-definition is usually the last stage before your body begins destroying your musculature.

 

The legality of using the hormones has little bearing on the topic though, I'm afraid. :/ Society puts pressure on people do all kinds of things that are wrong, legal or no. I guess one of them being legal is nice though, maybe? I dunno.

 

My point was that there are real, serious vital men's issues to discuss.  Being in academia at the college level and near a sports hub steroids or mis-used testosterone ARE used to enhance muscles to the point where they shrink the twins...so its not about sex.  It's about running faster, jumping higher, fighting harder.

 

Recently NPR did a whole bit on steroids following up on their 2013 story (here) a follow up to their 2008 story.  (here)

While a majority still believe that steroid use is wrong, opinion is shifting as to what to do with achievements made with steroid use.

 

My point is that this is a topic that affects men that dosn't affect women at all.  This is something that needs awareness.  The fact that we've come so far as a nation that half of all people are willing to let a cheater's name go down in the record books?

 

There are hundreds of such issues.  This is just one.  Men don't need to waste time drawing focus on comparing their problems point to point to women's.  They will always loose if they try that.  They have SO MANY of their own, unique things that are going on.  Articles like these just get annoying...because they are trying to make the issue identical.  It's simply not.

Edited July 4, 2014 by blazeingstar

[PhuturePriest]

The real problem is that all the threads that FP posts are trying to have exact correlation to a woman's issue.  The truth is, that woman's issues and mens issues may have some common threads, but are very different.

 

Why is a "real man" underwear shoot different than a "real woman" underwear shoot.  Well porn for one, the other is that the women often look at or below 21, while men seem to remain able to model for substantially longer.   Women remove every inch of body hair which really alludes to a pre-pubescent look, while men, are encouraged to look muscular. Many women's issues DO stem from the doctored magazines.  But men's issues often stem from subtler sources everything from hardware store ads, to the phrase "man up".  They stem from steroids and testosterone.   Do you really understand what those are doing to men and boys these days?

 

These are TOTALLY different matters.  Women are not in the world where synthetic hormones are encouraged to make them more feminine.

 

But trying to make men's and woman's issues exact just leads to more people wanting to say things like "man up" because its truly insane.  Yes, there are boys and men who suffer from body image issues, but in the body-shape of male actors is a far cry from that of female actresses.  Muscles can be acquired, flawless skin and bigger breasts cannot be without surgery.

 

So instead of posting silly diatribe articles which do nothing except to further make both men and women roll their eyes, you may be better off finding articles that address the issues that men face that get to the root cause of their insecurities, not those that reflect what women face.

 

Actually, many male models and a large majority of male porn stars are forced to manscape, leaving no hair on their body unwaxed. Notice that in pop culture, muscular guys like Stallone and Jean-Claude Van Damme are seen as almost "too masculine", whereas looking like a hairless pretty boy in a pop band is the desired look amongst younger people.

[southern california guy]

Actually, many male models and a large majority of male porn stars are forced to manscape, leaving no hair on their body unwaxed. Notice that in pop culture, muscular guys like Stallone and Jean-Claude Van Damme are seen as almost "too masculine", whereas looking like a hairless pretty boy in a pop band is the desired look amongst younger people.

 

I know.. everybody is shaving everything now..  Maybe it is like the braless look that was popular back when I was in High School -- it will come and go.  But then again I am amazed by how long fads seem to be lasting these days.  How about the "gangsta" look with the huge pants that are falling down and the big baggy tee shirts.  I would have thought that fad would have lasted a full year at the most.  How long has it lasted now, over twenty years???