Why do many women find 'the male body' ugly?

[iamnobody]

Ahem, Lembit isn't the only one with two nice ladies...



Joking aside, the girl on the left is a good friend; the one on the right is more of an aquaintance - I wouldn't try anything on with either of them, I'd get my head kicked in.

To return to the topic of the male body, I was having an interesting conversation the other day. Now, I'm of the opinion (and always have been) that I am not particularly physically attractive - tall, pale and gangly, with glasses and wild, mousey hair. And yet the other day I was with a group of friends, and the conversation turned to physical appearance and the desirability thereof - and, in response to a comment of mine along the above lines, one of my friends (who is gay and not single) commented that he'd always found me rather handsome. This was, to say the least, rather shocking to me - it was in no sense a proposition or anything, simply a statement of fact on his part. Then the other night at a formal dinner, I overheard a middle-age lady quietly comment on me to her male partner, saying "what a handsome young man." Again, this rather floored me - it is not a manner in which I think of myself, and I'm still minded to think them wrong.

Now, I freely accept that a middle-age woman and a young gay man might view the male body in a different way, but nonetheless this double-whammy has rather knocked the stuffing out of me. So the question I want to ask is this: is it really an issue of women not liking the male body, or men merely thinking that they don't? Is it more of a confidence issue than anything else?

I haven't commented on this before because I thought the premise was rather absurd. I don't think the male body is ugly and don't believe most women think that either. Men pay more compliments to women to get women to like them. All a woman has to do to get men to like her is..well..be a woman. Not fair, but that's how it is.
For the record Loka, you are indeed very handsome.

[Jack of Hearts]

This should just be called the dating subforum rather than serious discussions.

Also, Lokasenna is a pretty man.






J

[Vonny]

Lokasenna is a pretty man.

Beautiful describes him better. And handsome.

[ftil]

Oh, I had fun reading this tread. BTW, I wouldn’t give any thought to that article. I think that human body is beautiful. I see it as a part of our programming that glorifies a female body. I had a tread on another forum where I posted paintings, particularly, paintings of females. I focused on contemporary artists’ work. One of my friends has asked why I have posted erotic paintings. I was shocked because it didn’t see it that way as I was moved by the beauty. Many female were naked but it was a naked breast in many instances. I took another look at those paintings, trying to view it through male eyes. He was right. Interestingly enough, there were male and female painters. I have realized that both artists and I fell a victim of our programming as advertisement and movies focus on sensuality of women. But women are much more than being sexual.

[G L Wilson]

Nude up, people, especially if you're a beauty.

[jacked]

It's a stupid myth that women don't care about the male body. It isn't socially acceptable for women talk about their sexual desires towards men. Why don't women ask men out to the degree that men ask women out? They don't want to be seen as "easy" or what not. A lot of it is learned behavior. Neuroscience 101 women find men sexually attractive and men find women sexually attractive. Playgirl isn't a failure because women aren't visual it's because again women aren't allowed to do this or they are see as (fill in the blank). With that being said any girl I've talked to find Channing Tatum hot and I know several girls who have half naked men hanging on their walls in their dorm room. rant/

[faithosaurus]

As a woman, I can't say I find the male body ugly, but I know some friends that say that. Personally, I enjoy having someone larger and stronger to cuddle with. Well, when I'm in the mood for human contact.

[cacian]

do they? I am surprised they do but then a lot of things are ugly when someone feels they are.
it works both ways.

[Emil Miller]

I know several girls who have half naked men hanging on their walls in their dorm room.

I do hope it's not by the neck.

[liza]

I am a woman and I don't like men body also I think they are ugly, hairy, with different things sticking out .. without symmetry I think the best is .. a mix of two .. woman body with men thing

[Emil Miller]

I am a woman and I don't like men body also I think they are ugly, hairy, with different things sticking out .. without symmetry I think the best is .. a mix of two .. woman body with men thing

I'm intrigued by the asymmetrical things that stick out, could you elaborate?

[stlukesguild]

I am a woman and I don't like men(s) body also I think they are ugly, hairy, with different things sticking out .. without symmetry

Michelangelo was a man... and he would have probably disagreed... even on purely aesthetic terms...



-Michelangelo's David (edited for your safety)

Of course other artist might have agreed with your idea of an androgynous body:

[liza]

I'm intrigued by the asymmetrical things that stick out, could you elaborate?

I am a woman and I don't like men(s) body also I think they are ugly, hairy, with different things sticking out .. without symmetry

Michelangelo was a man... and he would have probably disagreed... even on purely aesthetic terms...

-Michelangelo's David (edited for your safety)


Of course other artist might have agreed with your idea of an androgynous body:

Michelangelo's mens : )?


Michelangelo liked young men but me every time I see a naked man..for the first time .. I'm shocked .. (in a way that I don't like it) .. but then I get used with it .. I don't know why ..

[faithosaurus]

It's a stupid myth that women don't care about the male body. It isn't socially acceptable for women talk about their sexual desires towards men. Why don't women ask men out to the degree that men ask women out? They don't want to be seen as "easy" or what not. A lot of it is learned behavior. Neuroscience 101 women find men sexually attractive and men find women sexually attractive. Playgirl isn't a failure because women aren't visual it's because again women aren't allowed to do this or they are see as (fill in the blank). With that being said any girl I've talked to find Channing Tatum hot and I know several girls who have half naked men hanging on their walls in their dorm room. rant/

This makes complete sense. I know some people think bad of me because I don't have a problem talking about those kinds of things, which I think is ridiculous. I am also guilty of having a half naked man on one of my walls in my room. Or, was. The only thing I have trouble with is asking a man out, but that's more from fear of rejection rather than looking easy.

[stlukesguild]

Michelangelo's mens : )?

Your original post read: "I don't like men body..." It should have read "I don't like men's bodies" (possessive and plural)

Michelangelo liked young men but me every time I see a naked man..for the first time .. I'm shocked .. (in a way that I don't like it) .. but then I get used with it .. I don't know why ..

Art and reality are never the same. Few women look like the classical Venuses... or even an airbrushed/photo-shopped Playboy centerfold, a Hollywood publicity still, or a fashion magazine photo. Even so I don't think I can say I have ever been shocked (in a negative manner) by the real human body.