;)
Double Standard
Friday, November 20, 2009 I was on the train this morning, reading AMYNY or METRO NY or THE SUBWAY TIMEZ or whatever free paper it was someone at the stairs to the station pushed into my hands (paper-pushers, indeed), and the giant pull-out Tiger Beat-esque interview with Taylor Lautner, who plays Jacob Black in the film version of Stephenie Meyer's New Moon, turned my stomach. In it, Lautner, who apparently can't be photographed to promote the film wearing a shirt, discusses how Twilight fans are going "crazy" over his "body", which he "got" for the film, and how, yeah, he gained 20 lbs for the movie, and would lose 40 if a role required it.
None of that's setting off any alarms, is it? An article on a teen actor, solely discussing his new shirtless-hunk status, in which said teen actor states he'd gladly lose 40 pounds for a dramatic role?
Suppose the article was on, say...Miley Cyrus?
Hopefully now you see my point: apparently in society there's a belief that girls-young girls AND women-desire, need, to see positive reinforcement of healthy body images, both physically and mentally, in media. Men, however, apparently don't. We don't mind if a binary is created where we're slothful, pudgy, soft and chubby in comparison to a new Hollywood boy-toy-because, after all, that's what happens, right? Men are like cars-we get old and leak and we're ok with that because we're men.
There's a gross misinterpretation of body image issues and eating disorders amongst males-body dysmorphic disorder, anorexia, bulimia, you fucking name it-as in, they can't possibly exist. And, if they do, obviously it's women who need special treatment, or at least sensitivity, or lesser still a watchdog. I know i'm entering into layers upon layers of both second and third-wave feminist debate by even bringing this up, but the "piece of meat" status assigned to this kid-this fucking teenager-by the media, and the fact that apparently everyone is ok with it because he's some buff new Native American (I'm sure the notes from the casting director read as: ethnic, mysterious) droolcup further illustrates the double standard. The female body image has to be treated with kid gloves, but guys are either fat-free sextoys or lumpy receptacles for beer.
I'm fucking sorry that I'm not ok with that, and if I have to hand in my third-wave feminist card, so be it.
Reader Comments (4)
ok so i get it, but...these articles ARE done on women all the time, and trust me, the female body image is NOT treated with kid gloves, ever. even when they pretend to.
but yeah, i don't think that either male or female body images are well portrayed in the media and i think most people you know who argue about women would say men are subjected to it as well, albeit i must admit to a lesser/less pervasive/less exacting degree. there is not as much dialogue about men, body issues, and the media portrayal as there is around women, but i would argue that that is primarily because the spotlight isn't on them to the same degree and the standards you're railing against are neither as pervasive nor as exacting as the standard that is ubiquitous to women in the media.
the point though, becca, is that no one's DISCUSSING male body image. no one. i've read one book, possibly seen another.
Not to make light of this very serious issue, but I'm just glad this kid's name isn't "Lauter". One letter, all the difference. Just sayin'..
You know, he was Shark Boy. Just sayin'.