Metrosexuality A Plot By Gays To Sissfy Men?

[alieninthecaribbean]

A lot was said about metrosexuality in the "How Can We Help Men" post. I just wanted to get your opinions on men who coif, cook gourmet, exfoliate, wax etc. I mean even self-professed “bad-ass mother f***rs” like Samuel L. Jackson, Bernie Mac and P Diddy have no problem admitting to getting regular manicures, facials and talking about their emotions. Cowboys and NFL jocks are even crying live on Dr. Phil.

I have this Masculinity Studies guy who swears masculinity and shows like Queer Eye For The Straight Guy is part of a massive plot by gays and feminists to sissfy men. Personally, I think metrosexuality is nothing new and perfectly natural to boot.

Take a good look at nature. Which gender bears the primary responsibility of “looking good.”, “showing off their goods” and “smelling attractive”? Yes it is the male. So it is more natural for males to beautify themselves in order to invoke attraction. From the flamboyant feather displays (peacocks, birds of paradise), luxurious manes (lions, baboons and silver back gorillas), spectacular antlers (moose and reindeer) and musk perfume (oxen and elk), the male is the preening, prancing, carefree one the female is more functionally built. The lionesses do the bulk of the hunting while the male lion usually sits back and looks sexy for everyone’s viewing pleasure on the African Serengeti.

Take a look at indigenous tribes the men don colourful feathers, elaborate headdresses, beads, body painting with chalk and red ochre, body piercing with bones, tattoos on the skin, wear penis sheaths of impressive length and using various scent concoctions mixed with animal fat and spread over the body, isn't THAT metrosexuality in a way. There is actually a race of tall, lithe, physically beautiful black people with elegant, feminine features, high cheekbones, full lips...and that's just the MEN! They are called the Wodaabé. The men participate in a male beauty contest that lasts for hours, and which involves hours of pre-concert preening, dancing, and face-pulling, for the benefit of the FEMALE judges.

And isn't that in the end what its all about- attracting females? All the men on Queer Eye are doing it because their WIVES or GIRLFRIENDS want them to style up. So how could it be a "gay plot" if it results in increased heterosexual mating?

[Huma]

I don't think metrosexuals are gay, and I have no problem with gays either way. I don't think they're necessarily sissies either.

I admit, however, that the vanity inherent in a certain extravagant level of "taking care of yourself" is a negative character trait in my opinion.

Every man I've ever known who had metro tendencies was a vain, stuck-up a--hole.

[alieninthecaribbean]

Hey Huma, glad you don't have a problem with gay people :mrgreen: And you are right, metrosexuals aren't gay.

I agree about the vanity thing though. More men are having eating disorders and plastic surgery than ever. Now you have a taste of the body obsession we women go through. Some aspects of metrosexuality are good, others are bad.

As usual, our consumerist society will milk it for all its worth until it actually becomes about your self-worth. And since it takes MONEY to be metrosexual, it becomes an elitist thing. In a way, it always has been though. There is a class element involved as well as a kind of selfish indulgence. The executive earning 100,000+ a year can afford facials and copper cookware and 400 thread count sheets and has the time to money to go to emotional counselling. The labourer with four kids cannot.

So the problem really lies when that results in the labourer feeling inadequate as a person. It's the same as when the struggling mother of three working her ass off and getting fat and frumpy looks on at the Sex And The City fabulousness and Elle magazine models of single and or wealthy women and feel their self-esteem plummet.

Now lots of guys know how this feels. Hey, we wanted gender equality right? :|

[skl]

well the pinup guy for metro sexuality is David Beckam........is he a sissy ?

[two cents]

Anything that starts out with "gay plot" is just plain stupidity.

As for metrosexuality getting an upswing, it comes and goes just like any other fashion trend.

There are plenty of reasons why fashion trends change, and I can understand how an increased sex/gender/sexuality awareness can have influenced this one some way - in that the lines drawn up by the centuries of patriarchal systems have been blurred and people don't have to let outdated concepts of the "masculine" and "feminine" control them .

But the point is that that ALL social changes affect how men and women look act and do today. If anything I'd say that one of the main reasons that metrosexuality is are socially accepted is because it is a must within an increasingly youth oriented culture. Look at the runways - both men and women alike are slimming down to impossible sizes, challenging natural shapes/ appearances in favor of both genders looking like twelve year old boys. The whole concept of a 50 year old man looking like he's in his prime whereas a 50 year old woman is over the hill does not apply any longer. They're now in the same leaky boat. Of course, there's always plastic surgery - or the less-expensive option of concealers and make-up.

Regardless gender, today's trends are all about taking care of your body, going on all these low carb/high carb/cabbage/water -diets, going to the gym, dressing younger and - inevitably, wearing make-up to upkeep the illusion that you're not as old as your ID says.

The past century has seen so many changes in how women should look, it seems logical enough that this has now influenced the male counterpart.