Bitchin' Blog Posts
Dude Looks Like a Lady
by SB Sarah | by SB Sarah | May 24, 2006 | Wednesday at 2:28 pm | 65 CommentsBitchery reader Joyce sent us the following article about a composite sketch of “the perfect man.”
Go ahead and check out that article. I’ll wait.
Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Duh-duh duh-duh DUDE LOOKS LIKE A LADY!
Now that Steven Tyler is shimmying around in my brain shaking his be-ribboned groove thang about dudes what look like ladies, let’s discuss. What is UP with that? Are all the women in the sample group outlandishly gay? Did the researchers look for women with Danskos and one of the seven lesbian haircuts? As Joyce pointed out, that image isn’t even on the same planet as the “ideal man” in the CG-artist’s realm. That image needs man titty like DAMN.
Aside from the discussion of what specifically constitutes attractiveness and beauty, and whether it’s a person’s features linearly adhering to a grid or just simple symmetry, the article raises a question that must plague the art department - what does an attractive male look like? Is there a common denominator for most women that can be drawn, or better yet, Poser-ed? Granted the sample of images used to generate Mr. Girly Hot Man was very small, and the sample of women rating the ballot of images was small as well, so we’re not talking about a major study. But are we working with dichotomous images of manhood that can’t be merged - the sexy studly macho alpha mantitty-sporting mega dude, and the “slightly effeminate image of a man with such traits as willingness to help, honesty, an emotional temper and love for children.” Or - do we want Mr. Girly Hot Man trapped in the body of Fabio DeSalvo?
In the opinion of a woman who likes her men short and dorky, neither image really does it for me. What about you?
Filed: Random Musings, The Link-O-Lator
Leigh Ellwood said on 05.24.06 at 02:43 PM • [link]
Sinead O’Connor has a long lost twin brother, who knew?
Amanda said on 05.24.06 at 02:46 PM • [link]
He looks young as opposed to feminine, IMO. Needs more hair though. I was hoping they’d made up a full body reconstruction of the perfect male physique. That would’ve been more fun!
Nicole said on 05.24.06 at 03:21 PM • [link]
The reason I love to come and read this website: the words “man titty” and “dichotomous” in the same post.
Rosemary said on 05.24.06 at 03:48 PM • [link]
The image is of a pretty boy, who seems a bit young for me to find attractive without feeling like a perv. And I’m in my 20s.
Seriously. That’s the face of a boy who is about two days from his testicles dropping.
Given, you have to take my opinion with a grain of salt because if he doesn’t have a thick neck, rough hands and at least 10 tattoos, I’m not interested.
My parents are so proud
Christine said on 05.24.06 at 04:00 PM • [link]
He is very pretty, and I do have a history of liking the pretty-boy type. I think the popularity of Orlando Bloom can attest to something of a tste for pretty-boys in the female populace. Of course, I am not with a pretty-boy; neither am I with a macho-man with mantitty.
Expansive mantitty in person is kind of gross, actually.
azteclady said on 05.24.06 at 04:04 PM • [link]
“Mr. Girly Hot Man trapped in the body of Fabio DeSalvo”
May I say…
EEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!
Danielle said on 05.24.06 at 04:06 PM • [link]
For me the real turn-off is the blandness of the face. I think that’s the problem with all of these computer-generated “perfect specimens” (I’m sure I remember seeing a version of the perfect woman somewhere as well)—a composite face voted on by committee isn’t individual enough to be attractive.
And what’s with the chipmunk cheeks?!?
DebR said on 05.24.06 at 04:25 PM • [link]
Evidently I’m not alone here - when I looked at that face I just thought he looked so YOUNG and bland. I can look at the face feature by feature and think ok, yes, he has nice eyes, he has a nice mouth, etc. But if I saw a person wearing that face walking toward me, my reaction would be that I’d like to see what he looked like after he’s put 20 years or so of living on that face.
I like some cragginess. I like some lines and crinkles. I like eyes that look like they’ve seen something besides math class and soccer games.
Thinking of real life “pretty” men - classically handsome movie stars and so on - I always (ALWAYS!) find them much sexier and more interesting looking when they get older than when they were in their 20’s or even their 30’s.
Becca said on 05.24.06 at 04:28 PM • [link]
For me the real turn-off is the blandness of the face. - yeah, what struck me is that there’s no character in that face, no personality. And for me it’s the personality that I find most attractive in a man.
well, and a judicious amount of mantitty, I suppose
. but character can make up for a dorky body where a gorgeous bod can’t make up for lack of character.
-becca
Laura V said on 05.24.06 at 04:32 PM • [link]
I think that article is not reporting the findings of the St Andrews team correctly. If you go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/376321.stm there are two pictures, and at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4941950.stm they have some rather different faces. They were comparing two faces, and looking at how women respond at different times of the month (women who are at the fertile part of their cycle apparently like more masculine-looking men). If you just look at the one picture given in the article on the 7am page, it’s not so helpful because it doesn’t show the alternatives which people were choosing between, and it doesn’t mention the subtleties about hormonal changes. And for yet more on Perrett’s work at St Andrews, see this article about the different qualities which are associated with different sorts of faces.
Tonda said on 05.24.06 at 04:44 PM • [link]
A bland, baby-faced zombie. I’m in lurv . . . NOT! And I like my men on the pretty side (I think), but I like ‘em a little dirty: Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, not as the poof in that horrible time travel movie (I’ve managed to wipe the title from my mind and I feel all the cleaner for having done so).
Vivi Anna said on 05.24.06 at 04:48 PM • [link]
I’m not into pretty-boys…
Orlando Bloom is very good looking, but I find men like Viggo Mortensen, Jason Statham, Gerard Butler, Christian Bale, and Hugh Jackman sexy and way more delicious. Rough and tumble men, with stubble and chest hair, and a scar on their chins from a sporting accident…
Laura Kinsale said on 05.24.06 at 05:03 PM • [link]
Guy looks like a chipmunk with the mumps.
Thanks for the other articles that put the studies in better perspective. I’ve always been highly suspicious of those composite face studies, because it seems to me that what you are actually discovering is not really which face is the most attractive but which face is the least offensive to the largest number of people.
Certainly the choice of this guy seems to bear that out, lol. Ugh.
Of course it could well be that the way the studies are reported in the media makes the researchers tear their hair out, just like we do about reporting on the romance genre in the media.
GIGO.
sleeky said on 05.24.06 at 05:06 PM • [link]
Cripes, it would be like falling in love with my 4 year old son!
No wait, I did that. But not in a creepy way.
I like my men chunky and dorky, so I’m a data point way, way off the chart.
Darlene Marshall said on 05.24.06 at 05:24 PM • [link]
Euuuwww! Looks like a man with training wheels. Or maybe “man lite”.
Give me some planes and angles, some rough edges, some testosterone! This lad isn’t doing it for me.
Sara Donati said on 05.24.06 at 05:28 PM • [link]
crickey, no. Call me old fashioned, but I prefer guys with a good dose of testosterone.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Viggo Mortensen, Jason Statham, Hugh Jackman—a little rough around the edges.
kate r said on 05.24.06 at 05:41 PM • [link]
sixteen year old punk minus the pimples? Bleargh.
They say they asked young women—yeah, like the ones who buy tiger beat magazine. (wonder if that thing’s still around)
Wendy said on 05.24.06 at 05:50 PM • [link]
So the ideal man looks like he’s 12? Well since most men I’ve known in my life don’t mature much past that age, I suppose it fits ;-P
Jennifer Echols said on 05.24.06 at 06:12 PM • [link]
I like some cragginess. I like some lines and crinkles. I like eyes that look like they’ve seen something besides math class and soccer games.
I like my men chunky and dorky, so I’m a data point way, way off the chart.
crickey, no. Call me old fashioned, but I prefer guys with a good dose of testosterone.
Two words:
SOUL PATROL!
Becca Furrow said on 05.24.06 at 06:14 PM • [link]
Well, I’m nothing if not a loyal fan. I still think Spike is the ultimate hottie.
That boy looks like someone my thirteen year old would like.
anu439 said on 05.24.06 at 06:17 PM • [link]
Pretty, but needs a few years to get manned up. Also a defined chin would help.
The eyes are hot though.
Sanachan said on 05.24.06 at 06:22 PM • [link]
I love how they are basing the opinions of modern women in general on a bunch of Scottish girls in their 20s. Way to make allowances for age and cultural differences there yo! Something tells me a 40 year old woman in Somalia might have a different opinion of good looking. I know *I* have a different opinion. He just looks incredibly bland. Now if someone gave me a composite of Hugh Jackman, Vin Diesel and Brad Pitt, then we might be getting somewhere.
Melanie Hayden said on 05.24.06 at 06:31 PM • [link]
Yeah, NO. Whoever said they like their men craggy and a little dirty, right on. Hugh Jackman (so long as I can avoid that horrifying memory of him singing “Surry with a Fringe” or whatever the hell it was), Viggo, Jason Statham, Christian Bale—oh, yes. The most feminine types I go for are along the lines of Matthew McFayden (who played the most recent Mr. Darcy) and Hugh Laurie, both of whom look they’ve done some actual living.
That little boy in the picture does nothing for me, and I’m in the age demographic they used to create the composite. I just sort of want to give him a glass of milk and make sure he has lunch money.
Samantha said on 05.24.06 at 06:49 PM • [link]
quote:
“The final composite stands out by its pronounced femininity. The modern woman does not find attractive neither facial hair nor a strong chin on a man’s face. She does not seem to like any other features traditionally associated with a “real macho man.†“
I missed that memo, so did Hollywood, I guess.
Jennifer said on 05.24.06 at 06:54 PM • [link]
The sketch might do something for the women who dream of having sex with sixth graders - frankly it was Very off-putting for me.
I’m with Melanie with this one - I love craggy, manly, rough - Vigo or Harrison Ford -
Not little boys, thank you very much.
LOL!
Sallyacious said on 05.24.06 at 06:54 PM • [link]
My ideal sexy man? James Hetfield of Metallica. Big, red-haired, built, rough, tattooed. With a voice that sounds like a man’s voice. Baby. That boy curls my toes.
The picture in the article? He has pretty eyes. But like earlier commenters have said, no character. I want a man who has experienced pain and figured out how to deal with it, thank you.
Then again, when I was in my early 20’s, marks of character and experience in a man scared the bejeezus out of me. I had to get some living done myself first.
Jeri said on 05.24.06 at 07:24 PM • [link]
I’m with you on short and dorky, Sarah. Ben Stiller, Seth Green, that guy on Numbers who isn’t Rob Morrow. Oh, and Max from Eve 6.
Pretty boys would be second, with macho, hairy-faced be-tittied caveman a dead last.
But I’ll never forgive you for mentioning that fucking song. It’s the worst ear-worm in the whole goddamn world.
emdee said on 05.24.06 at 07:46 PM • [link]
Ugh! I hate to have to card potential dates.
I’m in with the Hugh Laurie crowd. I find the guy on the cover of Chase’s Captives Of The Night pretty and masculine. I’m a fan of the several days’ stubble, of the eyes that show a bit of living.
Candy said on 05.24.06 at 07:46 PM • [link]
My first thought when I saw that picture was “Huh, looks kind of like one of the pretty Adonis types from classical sculpture, and just about as lifeless.”
So I guess Scottish girls display the same aesthetics as a buncha dead pederast Mediterranean artists.
Seriously, leaving aside the weird mask-like quality of the face and its extreme youth, I think the composite looks quite attractive—I know I would’ve had a huge crush on a boy who looked like that back in the day. But then I love me some androgyny.
I call bullshit on this statement, though: “At the same time, a woman would also like to see some typically male features in her chosen one because a woman still wants a man who would dominate her to some extent.”
Sigh. What the shit is up with that shit? And all that from looking at a motherfucking FACE?
However, I haven’t read the articles Laura V linked to. Off to do that now!
Tonda said on 05.24.06 at 07:46 PM • [link]
“My ideal sexy man? James Hetfield of Metallica. Big, red-haired, built, rough, tattooed. With a voice that sounds like a man’s voice. Baby. That boy curls my toes.”
Sexy, and a total sweetie (and TALL!). I used to bump in to him all the time when I was in grad school and lived in San Francisco. He’s got a thing for the fries at Sparky’s in the Castro . . . I’ll totally agree with his hotness.
Mel said on 05.24.06 at 07:48 PM • [link]
Oh, I like pretty boys, like Orlando Bloom et al… but gah, not ...THAT, whatever it is in the article. At least Orlando has a strong sculpted jaw and cheekbones. (And he even he looks better with the help of Pirate scruff.)
I just took a poll of the three women I share an office with and two of them thought the picture was of a lesbian woman.
I.e. that is NO perfect man there…
overneath said on 05.24.06 at 07:53 PM • [link]
Of course it could well be that the way the studies are reported in the media makes the researchers tear their hair out,
Some researchers really do have a bias. And don’t forget, when studies are done, the data do not automatically shout “here is your conclusion”—that is always but always drawn by humans who, even if they are supposed to be scientists, are influenced by culture and myths just like the rest of us.
To wit,
The study coordinator Tony Little: “... At the same time, a woman would also like to see some typically male features in her chosen one because a woman still wants a man who would dominate her to some extent.â€
This man can Kiss My Freckled Ass. Did they actually ask the question, ‘do you like being dominated by a man,’ or is this douchebag just speaking out of the head inserted in his patriarchal anus?
Sphinx said on 05.24.06 at 08:03 PM • [link]
He—or rather, it—looks far too young. I would never touch that baby-ass smooth cheek for fear of being featured on thesmokinggun.com’s “Pervy Grade School Teacher of the Week” gallery.
I like men. Big men. Big hairy men with deep voices and beards and chests and tattoos and . . . um, other large manly bits. Big stereotypical men. I’d do Brian Blessed in a heartbeat, if he made the offer and my husband wasn’t home. Hugh Jackman as Wolverine? I’m on it. Bruce Willis back when he actually had hair? I’d hit that.
ShuzLuva said on 05.24.06 at 08:06 PM • [link]
What happened to the chin? I really need to see a good chin for anything get clicking in my mind or body.
I like pretty boys - but only aesthetically speaking. It’s a “look but don’t bother fantasizing” thing with them. I can admire their beauty, but in the end I’m jealous I’m not quite as pretty as they are.
Now, if I want a nice fantasy, give me Jamie Bamber (I can always imagine he’s taller), Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Dwayne Johnson…okay there’s something really appealing about all of that muscle combined with a shit-eating grin that just makes me melt. I can’t help it…and I admit it here: The Rock is hot!
Laura V said on 05.24.06 at 08:19 PM • [link]
“Big hairy men with deep voices” - there’s been research done on that, and it seems like most women prefer men with deeper voices:
“Men and women were asked to rate the voices on things like attractiveness, dominance, confidence, sexiness etc. They were then shown photos, separately, and asked to rate them.
“Both women and men rated deep voiced men more highly.
“But what was also surprising was the men with low voices also have attractive faces. There’s obviously some kind of link there, possibly testosterone.
“I think this goes back to our evolutionary past, signalling genetic fitness, and also an indication of dominance, which are all things that women will be looking for in a potential mate.”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/4349989.stm
So this one’s got the ‘women like dominance’ slant too. I’m not sure why, because they haven’t proved any sort of link at all between deep voices and dominance.
The St Andrews team would seem to think there’s such a thing as a ‘dominant voice’:
“Women are more likely to prefer the deep tones of Barry White to the higher pitched vocals of James Blunt when looking for a mate, scientists believe.
“Research at St Andrews University found women prefer men with masculine voices, especially during their fertile phase.
“They like men with dominant voices as they are thought to indicate long-term health and higher reproductive success.
“It follows research findings that women during their fertile phase prefer men with more masculine faces.
“However, the researchers found that when not fertile, women were more likely to be attracted to a more feminine voice signalling a more caring man, more likely to invest in a long-term relationship.”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4743500.stm
And in a related item:
“Taking the contraceptive pill appears to change women’s taste in men.
Psychologists have found that women who are taking the pill tend to fancy macho types with strong jaw lines and prominent cheekbones.
However, women who are not taking that form of contraception seem to be more likely to go for more sensitive types without traditionally masculine features.
The researchers, from St Andrews and Stirling Universities, believe it may even be possible that taking the pill encourages women to have relationships with inappropriate men.”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2677697.stm
Amy E said on 05.24.06 at 08:39 PM • [link]
Personally, I find him totally resistible, but then again I’ve never been attracted to twelve-year-old hermaphrodites.
azteclady said on 05.24.06 at 08:41 PM • [link]
While I think that there are plenty of women who like ‘dominant’ men [hello, alpha heroes!], and more power to them—and to a society that allows everyone to live the life they want to live—the stereotyping conclusions? They suck ass.
Candy said on 05.24.06 at 08:46 PM • [link]
OK, I’m going to take issue with this particular conclusion: “The researchers, from St Andrews and Stirling Universities, believe it may even be possible that taking the pill encourages women to have relationships with inappropriate men.”
This seems to grossly oversimplify the extremely complex process of attraction. Most people are attracted to several different physical types (for example, I think Jason Statham, Christian Bale, Johnny Depp and Beck are all hot, and all of them represent very different looks), and this seems to completely ignore the role personality dynamics play in mate selection and attraction. I’m willing to date (and have dated) people who differ radically from my usual preferences if their personalities and interests mesh well with mine, but no amount of prettiness can make up for somebody I don’t get along with. In fact, I’ve found that I become physically repulsed by people I don’t like, even when I can acknowledge in an abstract way that physically, they’re very attractive.
And I’m going to stand proud and stand tall in my love of skinny, geeky, sweet-faced, not-particularly-macho boys. I like many flavors of men, but the slightly effeminate skinny boys are my favorite.
Sara Donati said on 05.24.06 at 09:01 PM • [link]
Please to translate: Soul Patrol.
Tonda said on 05.24.06 at 09:22 PM • [link]
In fact, I’ve found that I become physically repulsed by people I don’t like, even when I can acknowledge in an abstract way that physically, they’re very attractive.
Amen.
emdee said on 05.24.06 at 09:35 PM • [link]
Soul Patrol are fans of Taylor Hicks from American Idol.
Sara Donati said on 05.24.06 at 09:43 PM • [link]
Taylor Hicks? Sorry, he doesn’t belong in the same room with Jeffrey Dean Morgan or Hugh Laurie.
Susan Wilbanks said on 05.24.06 at 10:12 PM • [link]
Now if someone gave me a composite of Hugh Jackman, Vin Diesel and Brad Pitt, then we might be getting somewhere.
You can have all of them. I’ll take my composite of Sean Bean, Nathan Fillion, George Clooney, Ioan Gruffudd, and Ichiro Suzuki, thankyouverymuch. Only I doubt they’d be as hot composited as they are as individuals.
Oh, and on a geekier note, I’ll also take some Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and Alton Brown, please. But not that bundle of baby blandness in the article.
SB Sarah said on 05.24.06 at 10:34 PM • [link]
I love it when we discuss attractiveness and we all start the greatest lists of “I’d hit that.” Seriously. I love it. I am giggling on the bus right now. People are staring.
SamG said on 05.24.06 at 10:36 PM • [link]
I’m with Candy. My DH is geeky, smart and skinny. I am attracted to skinny.
That drawing did not make me go ‘oh, attractive’. It made me think ‘the perfect guy doesn’t shave yet?’. I also think he is too perfect of an oval. I’ve always heard we aren’t perfectly symmetrical and he seems to be.
So, maybe he just looks too fake?
Sam…
Jami said on 05.24.06 at 11:34 PM • [link]
Viggo, Christian, Hugh, Gerard - but no one has mentioned Eric Bana! I watched Blackhawk Down AND Troy this weekend, fastforwarding through all those lame Orlando and Brad parts (sorry, wasn’t into him after Thelma and Louise, and now he’s covered in Angelina fungus). I’ve always gone for the big, built guys, preferrably with dark hair and decently thick eyebrows (but no monobrow!) Vaguely eastern european is also a plus, but not a necessity. All I think about when I see femmy, pretty little things is, “I bet I would crush his hips if I got on top.” I need to be the cutest, smallest one in the bed. I don’t know if that means I like to be dominated, but well, if I’m in bed with a guy, I don’t really want to be able to take him.
JEA said on 05.24.06 at 11:53 PM • [link]
My idea of hot hot hot hits its peak with Christopher Walken, so…
Also, Lauren V, write me an article. To paraphrase Lord Robert (Elizabeth) Why waste all that beautiful research?
SpecRom Joyce
Asrai said on 05.25.06 at 12:57 AM • [link]
I have no perfect man. I’m generally attraced to tall skinny men. I like long hair.
Except for this one guy who comes into my store. He’s tallish and chubby and has a shaved head. As long as he doesn’t talk because he does not have a deep voice to match his manliness. *sigh* Can’t have everything can i? He does have a great smile. (I need something to look forward to at my job!)
Gamer/geek is good too. Or just geekish in general.
OF course there are exceptions to every rule. SO I’ve given up stereotyping myself into like one type of guy.
Taekduu said on 05.25.06 at 01:28 AM • [link]
Not to put a damper on anything but I don’t think that study properly reflected anything resembling proper scientifc analysis.
On a personal note, while I can enjoy a pretty boy as much as the next girl, this guy was just ugly. He looked like a composite sketch of a serial rapist with a serious oedipus complex, but that’s my opinion.
I agree with Vivi Anna, I like cheekbones and a jawline, and some muscles to him, if he looks like he has lived life, even better. As much as I laugh about man-titty, I like me some of that too, can you imagine the body on that guy I can totally see saggy man-boob, saggy beer gut, flat ass, and small penis. ugh.
If I wanted a feminime face I would stick to my own sex or just look in the mirror for inspiration, hrmm, narcissitic, will shut up now.
Candy said on 05.25.06 at 01:36 AM • [link]
Oh hell yeah, I couldn’t agree more. In fact, most of the studies in the links Laura V. provided raised more questions than they answered. If nothing else, the birth control study rang a bunch of alarm bells, because I have no idea if they controlled for factors other than birth control that may explain why the women preferred what they did.
And these researchers were going on and on about how feminine facial traits meant that the men were nicey-nice and sensitive and shit—but they didn’t really cite any convincing research that somehow proved this was so. There seemed to be some wholesale buying into cultural perceptions and prejudices and not enough scientific rigor.
Kristin said on 05.25.06 at 01:55 AM • [link]
Dirty and craggy…exactly! In fact, I even have a problem with men who have smooth hands. I like rough, used hands that have seen their share of grease and dirt.
I like the face #2 that someone pointed out in the comments, but it is still too smooth. And I like a more well-defined facial structure…more angles.
I think most men look their best between the age of 35 and 45…some can get away with 55 even! A little bit of gray hair, some crow’s feet by the eyes, throw a couple of scars in there…
Ann said on 05.25.06 at 03:15 AM • [link]
Rachel Maddow is the Perfect Man?
I like Rachel Maddow. I really don’t know how she will feel about this. There as soooo many levels of weirdness.
Ann said on 05.25.06 at 03:52 AM • [link]
I love evolutionary theory, and I always get pissed when some researcher tries to link sexual selection with natural selection. They aren’t the same thing! There’s no reason to believe that men and women instinctively choose mates based on perceived survival traits, such as “good provider” status. We certainly might make rational decisions about mates based on their ability to provide for children, but that’s a different matter.
Sexual selection is not “logical,” and is often based on traits completely unrelated to survival—such as color or song, as we see in the mating displays of birds. In addition, nurture clearly plays a part in what we humans find sexually attractive.
Obviously, some of us like big men, some like skinny men, some like craggy and some like smooth. Many (most?) of us like men with a good sense of humor, which is a particularly interesting issue. Some of us want real “he-men,” and other like the androgynous type. Thank the gods for variety!
Valerie said on 05.25.06 at 08:12 AM • [link]
I want a man who is as tough as I am. I really don’t want to be in bed with him thinking “Gawd I could break him in half!”
Also I love dark hair and green eyes. A man with a great set of eyes can be forgiven of many shortcomings. (Physically speaking)
embi said on 05.25.06 at 02:56 PM • [link]
OMG- the guy/kid looks like one of my nephews. Talk about squicky. If my sister thought I found this composite attractive or sexy there would go my “special day with Auntie Em” privliges with her boys!!! I like men to look like men. Period.
Michele said on 05.25.06 at 05:22 PM • [link]
Oooh, one of my favorite subjects: Men!
I read a lot of genre fiction, including manga and manwha and a few non-superhero comics. I also watch anime. My son is massively into RPG video games. I see lots of pretty men in those genres, and maybe that’s having an influence on what some young women consider attractive.
Initially I had to make a lot of adjustments as to what defines “masculine” when it came to the ambiguously-gendered characters in anime and manga. This kind of male was a little alien to me, since the current measure of Western European masculinity seems to be big muscles, hairiness, aggressive behavior, and equally aggressive heterosexuality.
The other day I watched FFVII: Advent Children with my son. I suppose it’s a measure of my adjustment to what can be male and attractive that I didn’t blink an eyelash when Sephiroth appeared.
I think Vincent Valentine and Dante Sparda are teh sex as much as Christian Bale, Clive Owen, Johnny Depp, Denzel Washington, Ralph Fiennes, Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman, Mel Gibson, Will Smith, Harrison Ford, the Rock, Kenau Reeves, Sean Bean, and so on and so on.
Hmmm, I appreciate a wide variety of good-looking guys: cute, rugged, pretty, sophisticated, alpha, dorky. Some guys definitely get better with age, like Orlando Bloom and Tom Cruise.
Tom’s personality issues aside, he never did much for me until he grew older and developed a few imperfections. Ditto for Orlando Bloom. Guys like Liam Neeson or Samuel L. Jackson aren’t conventionally good looking, but they’re really sexy. Same for Gary Oldham. I even thought V from V for Vendetta was hot, and he was wearing a freaky mask throughout the entire story.
Could be I’m just easy, though.
Estelle Chauvelin said on 05.25.06 at 06:13 PM • [link]
Too young and too bland. But my preferences are pretty far from the pretty boys and the macho men. Give me a nerd with glasses who can beat my cranky computer into submission, and that says masculine to me.
And while I don’t think there are too many men who look good with heavy beards, the ability to grow facial hair is a good thing. The guy in the picture looks like he has less than most of the older women in my family.
Anon said on 05.25.06 at 07:17 PM • [link]
If you go by this recent cover, it appears someone at Silhouette thinks the perfect guy is Steve Carrell-
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0373767285/qid=1148577261/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-4659410-4922453?s=books&v=glance&n=283155
misreall said on 05.25.06 at 11:18 PM • [link]
Um, so, most women want to do 16 year old extras from The EastEnders?
Scary.
Keziah Hill said on 05.26.06 at 12:11 AM • [link]
He doesn’t do it for me. My faves:
George Clooney in anythng and Harvey Keitel in The Piano.
gigi said on 05.26.06 at 09:00 PM • [link]
Hey y’all, I think we have the “Ken Doll Syndrome” going on here. I’m sure the folks at Mattel did their own market research before crafting Ken, the ultimate date for Barbie, but instead of making my six-year-old heart flutter, I used to shut him in the toybox because he scared me.
Lydia Joyce, 100% woman said on 05.26.06 at 10:30 PM • [link]
Oh, hell. “He” looks like ME!!!! Make the chine more feminine and the lips bigger and that’s ME!
I’m scared now.
Sanachan said on 05.27.06 at 07:14 AM • [link]
I’ll take my composite of Sean Bean, Nathan Fillion, George Clooney, Ioan Gruffudd, and Ichiro Suzuki, thankyouverymuch. Only I doubt they’d be as hot composited as they are as individuals.
Mmmm… Ioan Druffudd *drool* And yes, you’re right, composites would probably make all sorts of very good looking men look really awful and scary. Better to enjoy each one individually.
Oh, and Jami, I totally support the Eric Bana lust. That scene where he’s in his room putting his armor on? Oh. So. Hot. Worth buying the DVD just for that scene. But admittedly I also enjoyed Brad Pitt’s thighs, so the whole movie worked well for me. (Though I like it better on mute so I don’t have to listen to Paris whine, or Achilles blather on about his cousin.)
Vera Nazarian said on 05.27.06 at 09:07 PM • [link]
This dude does absolutely nothing for me. Too young, too round-faced. Wrong eyebrows (like them straight). Wrong eyes.
Nothing wrong with effeminate actually, I normally like that, but this one just looks so not my type.
Blah. :-)
Bella said on 05.28.06 at 07:00 AM • [link]
when my best friend, a lesbian, tries to set me up with a guy, this is what her efforts look like.
gack.
i want a face with personality. strong jaw line, couple of interesting scars, maybe a broken nose and some laugh lines…. yeah. come to mama.
somebody mentioned Spike… not my typical hottie, but definitely sexy - I’d be scared i’d squish him, tho. my favorites have got to be LL Cool J, Vin Diesel and Colin Farrell. i just love a slightly insane gleam in a man’s eye.
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