Our Obsession with the Male Butt

As many people know, as part of the news, I comment on interesting trends in society and in 2015 and in 2016, the cultural obsession with the rears of famous men has risen dramatically. Butt pics and other semi-nude moments have been shared online, liked on Instagram, and swooned over by people who find a fine man to be a thing of beauty.

Why might that be?

The objectification of men is at an all time high. In the past, men have escaped the gaze of women and gay men but times have changed and now attractive men with ample butts filling their underwear and pants are now something that we regularly comment on and causes as much buzz as a woman revealing something. I think that is an interesting commentary on our public sexuality. In the past men have not been too often sexualized because the public sexual conversation was dominated by a straight male narrative. That narrative has changed to include women and gay/bi/pansexual people who find men attractive.

It also has to do with the fact that while a shirtless man is common, a naked butt implies nudity in something that can be shown in public. Frontal nudity is still taboo but a butt, that’s not so bad now is it? From Justin Bieber to the Hemsworth boys, a man showing off his ass is a way to reveal the nudity of men without having to blur out other more offensive parts.

While society has always respected a fit man, our cultural dialogue about men has changed. In many cases men are getting the same scrutiny for gaining and losing weight as women. Recently TMZ approached Chris Pratt in LAX and asked him if he liked being “fit” or “fat” and what his wife liked. Chris Pratt had been heavier in the past and had lost weight for some movie roles but admitted that his wife liked him whatever way he was and that it was good because she was going to get “fat Pratt” again here soon. 10 years ago  a man getting fat might have been a tabloid scandal but would be really care? Now, it seems as if we do and men are now expected to be just as obsessed with their bodies as women. The stereotype of the young man who is gym obsessed continues to filter into our culture in more and more ways partly because our society has little else to offer young men other than the chance to be an object of admiration.

Being Thin is the new Being Rich

Men will keep revealing their butts and we will keep looking as men come into an age where their bodies are valued and objectified by society. Men of the world need no longer cover up, it’s time to reveal those gym toned bodies for the world to see. It appears that society is ready to experience the innate rugged sensuality of the male form.