Do you think watching Magic Mike to see the attractive guys is worse than watching porn for the attractive people? I id as a feminist and I don't want to objectify anyone but...
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Anonymous
YO BEING ATTRACTED TO PEOPLE ISN’T ANTI-FEMINIST, MY FRIEND. Even if you’re attracted to people just because they have a really good face or abs crafted in Michelangelo’s studio (and I don’t care what anyone says about their celebrity crush, you don’t actually KNOW that person, you like them because their JOB is to MAKE YOU LIKE THEM, even if how they do that is different for each person).
I don’t see anything wrong with finding other people attractive or wanting to look at other people because you find them attractive. I track the Chris Evans tag, y’all, and it is not because it’s full of thoughtful posts about the implications of Captain America’s ideology. It is instead full of keysmash posts about his butt (and stolen gifs, but whatever).
The problematic aspect of attraction in the media that can sometimes, and easily, translate to the real world, is when you stop thinking about the fact that the person you’re looking at is a person, which every single advertisement ever made using a cisgender woman’s body wants you to forget. That’s why they’re often naked and faceless. Relegating anyone to “just a body” is a problem. Going to see Magic Mike because Channing Tatum’s abs make your heart want to go skinny-dipping in your stomach is not in and of itself problematic, just as watching porn because you’re attracted to the people in it is not in and of itself problematic (porn IS problematic but, you know, different discussion).
Awareness of what you’re doing and how you’re treating people, even in your own head, is important. Awareness of what you’re looking at and how it wants you to view the person it’s featuring is important, too. It’s possible to be aware that something is problematic and still enjoy it (I’m looking at you, Glee fans). Media literacy, folks! Fun and educational!
