Meet Matthew Chancey, the epitome of "manliness," says an Old Spice-sponsored contest.
Religious Dispatches has a piece on how an this contest created by web zine The Art of Manliness included a finalist who is a part of a movement that doesn't believe women should vote. And that finalist ended up being the winner of the Man of the Year Award.
Chancey was chosen with nine other finalists that the contest claims "epitomize the manliness that used to exist before the arrival of metrosexual pretty boys." But apparently this "manliness that used to exist" regresses all the way back to when women didn't have the vote. A member of the Christian Reconstructionist movement, a homophobic, anti-choice, anti-contraception group. In short, Chancey, his wife and nominator Doug Phillips is, according to author Kathryn Joyce,
"the staunchest promoters of the Quiverfull conviction and the patriarchy lifestyle, both of which hold that Christian couples should have as many children as God gives them, forgoing any form of family planning, as both a demonstration of their obedience and trust in God and as a militant method of demographic battle with nonbelievers."
Yes, Quiverfull, the movement that believes women's bodies aren't their own, but in fact sacrificial wombs used to build God's army.
Chancey's wife Jennifer is actually the founder of the website Ladies Against Feminism, as well as, according the the article, "a popular speaker on matters of wifely submission and 'faithful' daughterhood (namely, eschewing college to stay under a father's protection until marriage)." She's also spoken publicly about her opposition to women voting, which is a general belief of Christian Reconstructionists - that women shouldn't vote or hold public office.
Back to the subject at hand - Matthew Chancey won $2,000 and some Old Spice products. Is that a big deal? Not really. But the fact that this person was approved as a finalist by Old Spice and voted winner by nearly 10,000 people as an icon of manliness to follow, is what is disturbing here. If this isn't a sign we need to seriously reevaluate notions of masculinity in this country, I don't know what is.
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These people are so repulsive it's almost funny.
Soooo telling the bf to switch to Tom's of Maine.
Me too.
Is there any contact information where we can write to Old Spice?
As an aside, wouldn't their definition of manliness sort of preclude deodorant use?
Actually, the more I think about it, the more ironic it is. They're saying, "You must be MANLY, metrosexual shit isn't MANLY, you must be CAVEMANLY and IN CONTROL, but you still have to be ashamed of how your body smells."
Even the most gung-ho manly man is able to be pushed around and shamed by cosmetics marketing. Crazy.
Heh.
I one day hope to visit his banana plantation.
Best thing I've read today.
What's sort of unintentionally hilarious about the Ladies Against Feminism website is its use of a Fragonard painting on a website devoted to Modestity and the ideal of Chastity.
Well crap. I like the smell of Old Spice. Now I have to find something else for the husband to wear that doesn't make my eyes water.
If that's what a real man looks like, then I'll pass, thanks. I never liked Old Spice anyway.
Ugh, I stumbled upon that "Art of Manliness" blog one time. The first article wasn't too bad, something about wearing hats if I recall, but from there on out, it was all down hill. By about the fifth article, I realized the better name for the site would have the "The Art of Being an Asshole"
I looked at the description of good ole manly Matt in the Art of Manliness contest page, and there is no mention of the Quiverfull craziness. Not sure I blame Old Spice for not doing a background check.
I kind of have to agree, while I find the website deplorable, it was the readers who voted, not Old Spice. It was stupid on Old Spice's behalf, however, to allow their product to be associated with this in the first place.
As for the readers who voted, it says nothing in his bio that would indicate his true (repulsive) self, and I doubt highly that the people voting would do a background check on each individual, so I'd just say it's unfortunate that the voters weren't more properly informed about the contestants.
Oh, and another reason Matt should have lost is, he doesn't know ANYTHING about how to post-process (in this case, lighten) a digital image. What sort of manly full-quivered studmonster doesn't know simple photo editing, huh?
Hey look, it's religion making people dumber! Someone get a camera.
Gee and I wondered why I have issues trusting masculinities.
Sounds like a good time to boycott Old Spice.
I filled out the contact form at:
http://www.pg.com/en_US/index.shtml
letting them know my household will no longer be using their products because of this. If you are boycotting, please do the same!
Alright, all has become clear:
http://visionarydaughters.com/2008/12/show-your-support-for-manly-men
This is gag-inducing.
Oh, and the pic above in its ENTIRETY (see the link)? No words to describe the warm fuzzies I get seeing this Dr. Livingston I Presume setup, with my peeps looking fierce and warrior-like next to the indolent Colonial playing explorer for the day.
Colonialism is so very manly--the whole "penetrating" the Heart of Darkness bit.
I kinda liked that Old Spice used Neil Patrick Harris (openly gay at the time) and Bruce Campbell in their commercials in the last couple of years.
Agreed. I thought that in a very subtle way, it said a lot. To allow an openly gay man represent manliness says a lot in a time where most gay men are still depicted as very feminine in the media. I think this post is a little misleading though. The entry for the contest mentions nothing of his more distasteful views. Perhaps Old Spice should have done a little searching before putting him on the list of candidates, but it's not exactly the same as them saying "This guy thinks the womenz shouldn't vote and should pop out babiez until they are all dried up, ain't he manly?!"
As a male I will no longer support Old Spice.
Defining manliness? GAH! The very act of trying to define masculinity or femininity stunts our psychological growth!
YAY! If only we could get all the rest of Americas malekind to do that too....!
Wait, that Art of Manliness blog wasn't a joke? Someone sent me a link to a couple of the articles a while back and I just figured it was a reasonably funny satire on what our society considers "manly". Didn't realize they were being serious.
Now I'm not sure if it's more or less amusing. Hm.
Scaredy-man, scaredy-man!
Sheesh.
That "Ladies Against Feminism" site is seriously creepy. People actually believe this crap?
Yea! I never in my life thought I would see a women against feminism website. Its like a gays against gay rights page, or a blacks against civil rights web page... its just odd. Who would petition to have their OWN RIGHTS taken away?
wtf is all I've got to say about ladies against feminism...
Ick. Now Old Spice is ruined for me.
Well, I guess I can still remember Grandaddy. I will just have to think of that smell as a fragrance no longer produced in the world.
.... I meant, produced ethically. The way I think longingly of Nestle Toll House cookies, even though I will never buy another bag of Nestle chocolate chips as long as I live.
.... I meant, produced ethically. The way I think longingly of Nestle Toll House cookies, even though I will never buy another bag of Nestle chocolate chips as long as I live.
I guess I'll be switching deodorants... and sending them an email.
Old Spice was the only deodorant that worked properly on me. Oh well, if anybody asks why I smell funny, I'll tell them.
I think its satire
This passage from the Ladies Against Feminism site sent chills down my spine...
"What are the consequences if we do not embrace this vision of Biblical daughterhood? Initially, if we pridefully look down upon our earthly father or refuse to joyously submit to him, we are casting a slur upon the name and plans of our Heavenly Father. Ultimately, however, we will be unprepared for marriage, and will have to painfully re-learn things like submission, cheerful support, and delighted home-keeping."
...painfully re-learn...
Manliness, indeed.
Wow...I think I just lost my appetite.
His masculinity was based entirely upon a woman undermining herself so he can feel big. Absolutely barbaric and blatantly cowardly.
"delighted home-keeping".... what the hell does that even mean? I burst out laughing when i read that. i think i have to laugh because otherwise i'll just start crying...things like this make me lose my faith in humanity.
This business of bemoaning the demise of "traditional masculinity" goes back an awfully long way, almost as long as lamentations for the good old days when children respected their elders and nobody bothered with fancy gadgets like aqueducts or chimneys.
Or before agriculture and breeding animals for consumption. I'm sure you had Mr. Caveman crapping about how, 'in his day a man could grab a woman by the hair, club her and drag her back to his cave and that was that!' Oh wait...thats still done today!
Ok. I used to buy Old Spice for my younger brother.
He's not getting that anymore. Perhaps I'll have him switch to Toms of Maine.
Old Spice is as much of a dinosaur as this guy. Not to excuse them or anything; it just makes this that much more absurd.
Hmm, yeah not really sure why my comment was deleted. It was relevant, interesting, and definitely not offensive. Pretty confused on this one.
Hmm, yeah not really sure why my comment was deleted. It was relevant, interesting, and definitely not offensive. Pretty confused on this one.
As a member of the Art Of Manliness website, I would like to formally invite the members of Feministing to come take a look at our community. We welcome all points of view that are presented in a civilized manner. You don't have to agree with everything on the site, but I think it is important that AOM members have a chance to explain what our community is all about. Thank you, and I hope to see you on our discussion boards.