Sunday, September 18, 2005
Male Nudity in the Media
When I was a small kid, I could remember hearing on TV news, that feminists (probably lead by the battle cry of Miss Dworkin) were up in arms about the over abundance of female nudity in everything from ads, to porn and of course mainstream entertainment. Thinking back on this, I can't help but recall how way off these women were. Mainstream media NEVER showed a nude female! Porn existed as the only outlet to demo the female goods. So why were they outraged? Was it to further their cause(s)? It's like the equal pay for equal work issue which under serious scrutiny proven totally illegitimate in most cases.
Today, many women still protest the sight of a near nude female (near nude meaning, bare back, or a fanny clad tush, cause you won't see more than that these days) as if some "evil" males only secret group is exploiting her vulnerabilities. The fact is that male nudity has been and is more abundant in mainstream media now moreso than ever. I have seen TV ads on prime time American TV featuring almost totally naked males. There were two ads in particular that stand out, one an ad for Power Bar and another for GNC (a health food store chain). The Power Bar (an energy bar) was frequently shown during the Oprah Winfrey show. It had a guy who didn't have his power bar that day accidentally walking into the womens lockerroom without his towel. Of course all of the women in the "locker area" were dressed. He runs out with just his hands covering his genitals. The GNC ad, featured a totally naked guy on a slowly spinning pedestal, chin resting firmly on his fist as he sat there in the classical "Thinker" pose. Careful camera angles helped avoid his nether regions.
Well the list goes on and on, from television shows to ads to cinematic productions. Male nudity has always been exploited, and always in a negative sense. It's usually an embarassment scenario where the male is subject of levity or disdain as opposed to an object of desire.
Four years ago I met the originators of "Puppetry of the Penis." I asked one of the guys, David Friend, aka "Friendy," why the penis, an object to be respected, is being belittled and relegated to a pull toy. He said he and his friend were doing just the opposite, that they were elevating the penis to a higher status. Meanwhile on Broadway, "The Vagina Monologues" gained respect as a theatrical journey into the minds of the female, using her genitalia as a euphemistic representation of her experiences, angst, joys and empowered self. Not once was there a vagina on display let alone one being laughed at or touched in the name of humor. Such a long way the linear male animal has to go before it realizes its own self worth and that of his brother males.
Through my photography and film, I am doing something different. I want to push the male into another realm where his body once was a time before this air of destructive one-sidedness took over. The male body, like the female body, is the highest form of art made by the Magnificent. This body, regardless, of size, shape, color, parts missing etc, is an object of beauty. I think if we all saw the body this way, we would respect our own as well as others. It's worth a try in this evolution of ourselves. Let's see what happens.
In the meantime, take one day out of the week, and note how often male nudity is exploited in the media. Take note how it is always negatively presented. You might learn something. ¶ 10:07 AM
When I was a small kid, I could remember hearing on TV news, that feminists (probably lead by the battle cry of Miss Dworkin) were up in arms about the over abundance of female nudity in everything from ads, to porn and of course mainstream entertainment. Thinking back on this, I can't help but recall how way off these women were. Mainstream media NEVER showed a nude female! Porn existed as the only outlet to demo the female goods. So why were they outraged? Was it to further their cause(s)? It's like the equal pay for equal work issue which under serious scrutiny proven totally illegitimate in most cases.
Today, many women still protest the sight of a near nude female (near nude meaning, bare back, or a fanny clad tush, cause you won't see more than that these days) as if some "evil" males only secret group is exploiting her vulnerabilities. The fact is that male nudity has been and is more abundant in mainstream media now moreso than ever. I have seen TV ads on prime time American TV featuring almost totally naked males. There were two ads in particular that stand out, one an ad for Power Bar and another for GNC (a health food store chain). The Power Bar (an energy bar) was frequently shown during the Oprah Winfrey show. It had a guy who didn't have his power bar that day accidentally walking into the womens lockerroom without his towel. Of course all of the women in the "locker area" were dressed. He runs out with just his hands covering his genitals. The GNC ad, featured a totally naked guy on a slowly spinning pedestal, chin resting firmly on his fist as he sat there in the classical "Thinker" pose. Careful camera angles helped avoid his nether regions.
Well the list goes on and on, from television shows to ads to cinematic productions. Male nudity has always been exploited, and always in a negative sense. It's usually an embarassment scenario where the male is subject of levity or disdain as opposed to an object of desire.
Four years ago I met the originators of "Puppetry of the Penis." I asked one of the guys, David Friend, aka "Friendy," why the penis, an object to be respected, is being belittled and relegated to a pull toy. He said he and his friend were doing just the opposite, that they were elevating the penis to a higher status. Meanwhile on Broadway, "The Vagina Monologues" gained respect as a theatrical journey into the minds of the female, using her genitalia as a euphemistic representation of her experiences, angst, joys and empowered self. Not once was there a vagina on display let alone one being laughed at or touched in the name of humor. Such a long way the linear male animal has to go before it realizes its own self worth and that of his brother males.
Through my photography and film, I am doing something different. I want to push the male into another realm where his body once was a time before this air of destructive one-sidedness took over. The male body, like the female body, is the highest form of art made by the Magnificent. This body, regardless, of size, shape, color, parts missing etc, is an object of beauty. I think if we all saw the body this way, we would respect our own as well as others. It's worth a try in this evolution of ourselves. Let's see what happens.
In the meantime, take one day out of the week, and note how often male nudity is exploited in the media. Take note how it is always negatively presented. You might learn something. ¶ 10:07 AM
