Here's something I've noticed about people that like brawny, studly muscle hunks, whether male or female: it's lifelong. I've never met anybody that was "turned" to muscle guys, the way Janet was in THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW - it's a lot more hardwired than that.
Most muscle carnivores can't identify a time they didn't like muscle guys, even going back into early childhood. Depending on the age and generation, they can identify responding sexually to a whole variety of things. For me it was cartoons: I remember having a big crush on Lion-O and He-Man from saturday morning television.
Members of the previous generation have similar stories, watching muscleman movies on television: Sword n' Sandal pictures, Tarzan and gladiator pictures, and so forth.
There's a commonly held fallacy in our culture that awareness of and interest in sexuality starts at a certain age, and I think this is intriguing.
5 comments:
I certainly agree. Muscle-love is in you from the day you're born. I think the same goes for sexuality. No matter how anti-gay/lesbian/bi they are, if a man and a woman have a gay boy, he's gonna stay gay. He may remain closeted, but gay he is, and gay he shall remain.
Interesting. I guess I'm a lifelong "fan" also. Sometimes I think culture must play some role in the negative stereotyping of musclemen - the idea that big muscles are ugly, scary, etc., because I think muscles are beautiful and fascinating and sexy. But it's obvious a lot of people don't feel the love.
They sure love Superman though. Maybe muscles are "ugly" because muscles give a man strength and the ability to force his will onto others, which might get very ugly indeed. Superman is always a perfect gentleman and always does the right thing, so big muscles are then OK? Just musing...
TheMM -
I don't know if I can agree with the idea entirely that something like sexual orientation is entirely biological hardwired. There's an element of conditioning and reinforcement as well, particularly in early childhood. I'm not saying it can be "changed," but the trouble is, most people aren't 100% gay or straight and it depends on cultural circumstances.
It's a mistake to point to genetic or biological causes for homosexuality: the role of culture and development should be taken into account as well.
Mike -
It doesn't surprise me. The interest in muscle ALWAYS starts early. A possible explanation may be that at some point early in development (before age 4) an association is made between muscle and...well, not sexuality as such, but male power.
The reason people love Superman is because he's usually drawn as a very handsome man - blue-eyed, tanned, Mediterranean, all that. He has large, well-articulated muscles, but he's massive and sleek. This is something I've argued many times: muscle is great, but there's such a thing as too much. That's why Superman, with his proportions, is considered handsome and heroic, whereas the Incredible Hulk is considered a monster.
yep, I've never remembered a time of *not* liking muscle. I only remember the "awakening" if you will.
i agree for "TheMM" said, i remember i was 5 old and found some magazines of my father showing bodybuilders in their tipical and old poses, thats by far the oldest memory i can recall, and actually saw the other day on tv that gays are born gay for something that happens during their uterus forming, its not in the genes, but substances that interact with them making our brain sexually neutral (proved with twins). keep that in mind
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