It isn’t shocking anymore to go into a film or television show and see a woman become sexualized on the screen. The idea of the sexualized woman on screen is a part of the media many feminists and powerful women around the world attempted to change, especially those created by a male.
As a gay male, when I watch a show and see female nudity, I often question why we can’t do this with men. It’s a tricky subject to hop around, but wouldn’t you claim that if Hollywood can force women to show every intimate part of their body? It’s quite strange men are allowed the decency to either cover up or only show their butt?
This isn’t only a sexual topic, however. We also push men to be more vulnerable in their character performances in movies and shows. Not just by having them cry but also representing the unknown a man could face such as gender or sexual expression and experimentation.
Only showing men as the growing, strong character until an unfortunate event occurs is a story told one too many times now. What if we subtract that element and have more men in the media be explorative and dynamic? That should be easy right?
It seems Hollywood loves to cater to the men, obviously. They don’t need to take many creative risks that could separate them from being “manly” or “strong”. Many men in Hollywood would refuse to take a role that would showcase them in a feminine light, yet women have to take these roles no matter what the risk or presentation is offered.
We should push for vulnerability more than ever on our men. If Hollywood has built up their careers so high that they could be unstoppable, let them do the unthinkable.
Women are always nervous and anxious about a role being their last. From public perfection to minute and subconscious sexism —the risks women have to take to pay bills can oftentimes be the role that breaks them.
Throughout the #MeToo movement, we started to expose the amount of men in higher roles in the media taking advantage of women. One of the most complicated elements to the exposure of these media giants is that the women simply were just getting exploited trying to do their jobs and earn money to live.
When you force a woman to be vulnerable in a film, no matter the cost, whether its exposure of intimate parts or emotions —the same logic and mindset should be pushed on the men. If we were to make this a reality, the media as we know it would look completely different.
Men would also be exposed fully naked and would also have to take the roles that could ruin their careers. Films would have a much more realistic tone of emotional vulnerability and confusion that everyone faces in real life. There would also be more powerful women in higher positions in the industry who are shaping its future and we would also be spreading less toxic masculinity messages than ever.
Allowing men to be vulnerable would change how new generations of men would see themselves and those around them. Perhaps, if everyone in the media is on an equal playing field – we would have more sexual and gender equality. Of course, this would also impact political statements and perspectives.
The media creates nearly all messages that humans consume and spread. Whether it is subconscious or transparent. The next time you watch a piece of media and see a fully naked woman while the male is 95% covered up, I hope you will think about what that represents and how far we truly are from full equality.
Opinions expressed in The Nevada Sagebrush are solely those of the author and do not necessarily express the views of The Sagebrush or its staff. Gabriel Kanae is a student at the University of Nevada studying journalism. They can be reached at gkanae@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @NevadaSagebrush.
