Attached Link: http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movies/02/23/naked.actresses.ap/index.html

It appears that this isn't the only place that subject comes up for discussion. Granted this article is about real people instead of binary digits rendered by software, but the viewer-reaction is very relevant to what I've seen discussed here.

Message edited on: 02/23/2006 11:53

An interesting read indeed. The funny thing is, when it comes to classical art, especially Greco-Roman sculptures, there's a lot of male nudity going around. Never heard or seen any objection. Maybe since there's no eroticism involved with those sculptures?

O come on! You must be joking. Many more people were openly bisexual in Greek and Roman days. Julius Caesar was called "the husband of all wives and the wife of all husbands". Ever read about Pasiphae's love for the white bull? Or the stories of Ganymedes? Hyacynthus? Leda and the swan?

The idea we aren't "trained" to look at naked men is rediculous. We look at whats in front of us, and if there are no naked men, guess what? I do nudes sultry and whatnot of men AND women, though I will get the casual complaint. The only "eh" I have to poserified nudity is the standard vic with the triple E boob job.... for no particular reason other than "gee, I can create big ones!" LOL. Even so, I don't complain about those. People have a right to do what they want, and if I don't like it, I just dont look...... Though I'd like to see more men thanks!

There've been numerous studies which indicate that men are far more visually oriented than women. Our brains seem to be wired a little differently. So, pix of women flip a lot more switches in a man's brain than equivalent pix of men flip in a woman's. Or so they say. When I was working in advertising photography, I was doing figure photography, also. And I NEVER worked with male models. I can't relate to the aesthetic. I figured (heh)I'd leave that to female photographers.

"...men are far more visually oriented than women." That's the conventional wisdom at least. I have to wonder how much of that is cultural though. Perhaps Chippendales, "beefcake" calendars, etc. are an abberation, but I think that as women have become increasingly "liberated," some of them at least, are quite happy to see nekkid guys. I don't doubt that men still hold the lead but I suspect that the notion of women's indifference is at least partially a product of sexism and male insecurity. Most guys would jsut as soon not think that their little honey is checking out every hunk that walks by. Remember the idea that "proper" women didn't enjoy sex? Of course, I think that a lot of it is simply unconscious gay anxiety on the part of men--who after all make most of the decisions on what gets shown. Poser actually has it kind of backwards with neutered Vicki and fully equipped Mike. In the RW, it's the guy's naughty bits that are usually verboten. I think Brad Pitt (the buzz cut version) is better looking than Angelina but I'd much rather see her naked, and, I'd rather see Madonna tongue kissing Britney than either half of Brangelina clothed or nude :-)

And where, oh where, are the naked men? This is the point. I'm a man. And I love to see naked women. But I love the human body. I love to see naked men too. And where, oh where, are the naked men?

"That's the conventional wisdom at least. I have to wonder how much of that is cultural though." I've seen studies across multiple cultures that support the fact that males are more visually oriented than females. Anthropologists suspect that males, as they evolved, could see which women were more physically likely to be able to successfully bear their offspring so visual cues became more important. Females, one the other hand, usually ended up taking care of the offspring so their values became "who has the potential to support me while I'm tied up with these offspring" rather than "who looks like they could impregnate me." Modern life contrasts with the historical way things were but our primal nature hasn't changed. As sex becomes more about lust and less about reproduction I see women's attitudes changing. I suspect that may be a learned behavior but I have no support for that suspicion other than personal observation.

I've done some male nudes and posted them. They, of course, don't get as many views as the females. I was raised on those Greek and Roman statues and view beauty as being in both the male and female form. I just don't end up posting some of the male nudes that I do. But occassionally, I do. wink