Showing posts with label gender politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gender politics. Show all posts

2/04/2008

Tools for Women

I came across a site for a female photographer who does male nudes. The tag line is: Erotic Male Nudes Through a Woman's Eyes. I always have a problem with this. Exactly what does it mean to view a man through a woman's eyes? Doesn't it depend on the woman? There is this constant tendencey to divide male sexuality from female sexuality as if there are specific character traits of desire. The photographs weren't particularly unique. They were of good quality and sexy enough, but there was no inherent quality that revealed the photographer to be a woman.

The photographer made it very clear that they are photos of straight men for straight women, stating that what appeals to gay men does not appeal to women. Call me crazy, but I think what appeals to people, male or female, gay or straight tends to be in the eye of the beholder. I'm guessing a lot of men would find her work hot. I'm a straight female and I didn't find her photos all that special.

It reminds me of these horrible line of tools, like Barbara K, that are marketed to women. They're made in pretty colors and come in a fancy case made in a variety of colors. All of it, apparently designed to make women more "comfortable" using a screwdriver.

As far as I'm concerned, a hammer is a hammer and a dick is a dick. I'm a woman and I have a gender neutral, heavy duty Black and Decker power drill and I watch gay porn.