Breaking! Pot bellies are now fashionable!
If you're a dude, that is. Ladies, continue to starve yourself per usual please.
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I was reading this yesterday, and couldn't help but notice that the author claims that men first started getting in shape (which the hipsters are revolting against somehow) because of women in the workforce. Because, that makes sense?
I think the author may be saying that there is an overriding idea that some women who conform to (white, thin, young) beauty standards will get hired in some positions (retail, service) for the whole "sex sells" stereotype. If men only had to compete with men, maybe physical appearance meant less.
So in order to compete with the flood of (mostly younger) women in the workforce, maybe some men felt that embracing the "sex sells" mantra could work for them, too.
I see what you're saying, especially since the author seems to be referring to a certain subsect of the population (Brooklyn hipsters), and I said the author claimed this, when it was actually the editor of Men's Health, quoted by the author. But I think I still think the quote refers to the workplace as a whole. I've attached it below:
"As women have come to outnumber men in the workplace, it becomes more important than ever for guys to armor themselves, Mr. Zinczenko said, with the “complete package of financial and physical,” to billboard their abilities as survivors of the cultural and economic wilds.
This makes sense, in a way, but how does one account for the new prevalence of Ralph Kramdens? Have men given in or given up? Are they finished with asserting the privileges that have always accrued to men. Or is the Ralph Kramden Barack Obama’s fault?"
Regardless, it reinforces why I can't take the Style Section of the NYTimes seriously.
Guys are generally insecure about our looks with regard to how women view us.
Whoa! That's pretty confusing, LCA!
I have a problem when "style" is applied to the human body. Whatever style our bodies are is what we have. Trying to make everyone conform is dangerous.
Also, with the miserable, alienating JCPenny-in(vades)-Manhattan entry in Critical Shopper yesterday, this piece that endorses the expansion of the male body is doing something quite disruptive, more so if it were not right on the heels of the JCPenny piece. It's no wonder reactionaries from rural and middle America are suspicious of the ruling class in Manhattan, who are not all size 0's and 2's, btw.
What's ironic is that the vast majority of people who live in NYC are NOT thin.
"...having a belly one can bounce quarters off suggests that you may have too much time on your hands."
Really, now? Did the journalist go ask some heterosexual women/gay men about this?
What sloppy journalism.
And President Obama is responsible, of course!
I analyzed Trebay's article in detail here:
http://clarissasbox.blogspot.com/2009/08/male-bodies.html
I couldn't believe it... but someone was right when he said (in the article) that it's more acceptable for men to be out of shape, while women are CONSTANTLY pressured to have nice, thin bodies.
What bloody bollocks!
That article is simply incomprehensible. It's not just that the topic makes no sense. The whole thing is poorly written.
I thought the whole article was sarcastic and was intentionally not to be taken seriously.
Now as a bisexual and purely thinking about what I am attracted to in a prospective sex partner, I do not like pot bellies on men. I like a nice, hard abdominal area on a man. But as far as women go, I like all shapes and sizes!!!
That's really interesting! I actually like the opposite in men; I prefer endomorphs, round and soft and able to envelop me in hugs. I'm more attracted to women who are endomorphs too.
There is so much variation in what people find attractive. I find it a very interesting topic for discussion.
Kind of funny. I have a male boss who constantly makes comments about his female employee's looks that border on sexual harassment (actually he got in trouble for sexual harassment a few years ago, but his boss never did anything about it-figures). Anyway, he's always making comments if one of us gains a few pounds, or dresses in a way HE doesn't like. He'll say,"Looks like you gained a few pound again" or "that color doesn't look good on you". Anyway, there he is with a big beer gut hanging below his man boobs with 3 hairs combed over his bald spot making comments about HOW WE LOOK. What an asshole! I'd complain, but no one seems to want to back me up, and it wouldn't go anywhere without another witness. The other woman who complained a few years ago ended up dropping her complaint, and he made her life miserable. I'm just waiting until I can quit this job.
I get a sense the tone of this article is being somewhat misinterpreted. The author is explaining the views of the pot-belly-owning hipsters, not siding with them or advocating that such a thing is, in fact, actually in style or physically appealing.
Ultimately, they'll be judged by the females who should reject them as they see fit. I have a feeling this won't work out so well for them.
Another thought: it could be the author of the article is projecting his theory that they think this is the new "in" thing that looks good onto them. Perhaps they're just your average dudes who have let themselves go, and given a choice they'd take the flat stomach in a second. It's just that that is more work and requires working out, instead of eating and drinking beer. I know which I prefer.