missosology BEAUTYBEAUTY ++ B R AW N B R AWby N kirinaurduja pageant expert Once considered as a certain anomaly in the culture of beauty, male pageants nowadays are a regular spectacle akin to its female counterpart, where prime specimens of universal aesthetics of beauty are being primped and paraded for appraisal, gaining the nods of approval from the judges. Lately, there has been frenzy over the male physique and artistry resulting in the birth of male beauty pageants. And the interest is growing in a pace that one would not imagine 20 years ago. BEAUTY+B R AW N must admit, I seldom participate in the discussions related to male beauty pageants, but still, it has never fail to titillate my senses enough to distract me Ieven when I am at work. I grew up thinking that there is nothing beyond the twirling and twisting of the curvaceous bodies of the female beauty genre, but little did I know that the concept of beauty encompasses all age and gender. Armed with enough curiosity about this such not-so-novel phenomenon, I explored the net and delved for the answers to the question that has been occupying my mind all the while: what's the relevance of this to our modern society and its impact to the people's awareness, from simpering girls to shrieking flamboyant gay fans and even to the direct target of the contest, the heterosexual males. Like its female counterpart, male beauty pageants is not without its shady past of allegedly realizing each and every male homosexual dreams and that is the exhibition of prime specimens of male anatomy long- fantasized by the closeted and even openly gay males. It is not uncommon to see a bunch of patrons and organizers of these events who are members of the third sex, and happens to like seeING (oglING) bulging appendages along with other muscular parts of the testosterone-loaded bodies of men. But is this just pure carnal desire? Or is this a form of subtle exploitation in the form of parading and cascading youthful bodies for all the world to see and manifest a very sexist behavior. Or, sticking to its very true veracity of empowering men, giving them the golden opportunities to reach their dreams and loading them up with enough popularity to embark another journey to stardom or SINK INTO TOTAL oblivion? let us take a journey back to the origins of the male beauty pageants and the evolution of the standards of the male beauty... BEAUTY+B R AW N "I want to make a difference around the world for those who aren't as lucky as us right here. I would like to take part in humanitarian missions, and difference and most important of all, my dad died when I was 2 years old from cancer. So, something I would like to do is help charity raise money. I believe the more money we gather... I think we will find a cure and more people will live and we can save more lives. " Nicklas PEDERSEN (Mr World 2014) BEAUTY+B R AW N HE MALE PHYSIQUE HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN OBJECT/SUBJECT OF PRAISE AND ADMIRATION SINCE THE DAWN OF TIME. IN PRE-HISTORIC TIMES, THE MALES PLAYED A KEY ROLE AS HUNTSMEN PREYING OVER WILD ANIMALS TO BRING MEAT BACK TO A HUNGRY FAMILY. IT TWAS THE DISTINCT PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTE OF THE MEN THAT SHAPED THEIR ROLE AS HUNTERS OR "PROVIDERS" IN THE DOMESTIC SCENE. WHEN TRIBES AND ALLIANCES WERE FORMED, MEN BECAME WARRIORS CLAIMING TERRITORIES AND KINGDOMS. THE ANCIENT GREEKS ARE SERIOUS ENTHUSIASTS OF OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES WHERE THEY TEST THEIR METTLES IN EVERY SPORTS CONCEIVED THERE IN DURING THAT TIME. THE OLYMPIC GAMES, FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH STARTED IN ANCIENT GREECE, WERE CLOSELY LINKED TO THE RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS OF THE CULT OF ZEUS. HOWEVER, THEY WERE NOT AN INTEGRAL PART OF A RITE. THEY HAD A SECULAR CHARACTER AIMED AT SHOWING THE PHYSICAL QUALITIES AND EVOLUTION OF THE PERFORMANCES ACCOMPLISHED BY YOUNG MEN. The Olympics Games was a strategy to stop wars by encouraging good relations between the cities of Greece through sports. Note: Olympia, the site of the ancient Olympic Games, is in the western part of the Peloponnese which, according to Greek mythology, is the island of "Pelops", the founder of the Olympic Games. Imposing temples, votive buildings, elaborate shrines and ancient sporting facilities were combined in a site of unique natural and mystical beauty. Olympia functioned history as a meeting place for worship and other religious and political practices as early as the 10th century B.C. The central part of Olympia was dominated by the majestic temple of Zeus, with the temple of Hera of male beauty parallel to it. BEAUTY+B R AW N history history of male beauty historyBEAUTY+B R AW N N THE ANCIENT WORLD, TRANSPORT AND WAR WERE BOTH PURSUITS CARRIED OUT PREDOMINANTLY ON FOOT AND WITH AN EMPHASIS ON SPEED. BETWEEN THIS AND THE IIDEALISATION OF YOUNG MEN, IT IS THEREFORE RELATIVELY OBVIOUS THAT THE IDEALISED YOUNG MAN WOULD BE ONE WHO WAS LIGHTLY MUSCLED, HAD LOW BODY FAT, AND WAS DEVELOPED IN AN EQUAL FASHION ACROSS HIS BODY. HE HAD ONLY LIGHT ARMOUR - IF ANY - AND SO DID NOT REQUIRE A HEAVY SHOULDER MUSCULATURE TO KEEP WEIGHTY ARMOUR UP. THE ADVENT OF THE OLYMPICS AS A TRIAL FOR MEN (AS WELL AS THE "UNSPEAKABLE VICE OF THE GREEKS") FED INTO THIS PERCEPTION OF MALE BEAUTY - SOMEONE WHO IMPROVES THEMSELVES THROUGH NORMAL PURSUITS. ANCIENT OLYMPIC SPORTSMEN (ALL MEN, BY THE WAY) RAN, WRESTLED, AND FOUGHT BUCK NAKED. THE ANCIENT GREEKS HAD A TRADITION OF DOING THINGS NUDE (THEY WALKED AROUND IN THE BUFF IN THE BEDROOM AND AT PARTIES CALLED "SYMPSIA", AND THEY EXERCISED WITHOUT ANY CLOTHES ON) - INDEED, THE WORD GYMNASIUM CAME FROM THE GREEK WORD GYMNOS, WHICH MEANS "NAKED." WHY NAKED? WELL, TO APPRECIATE AND CELEBRATE THE MALE PHYSIQUE, OF COURSE, AND AS A TRIBUTE TO THE GODS. PARTICIPANTS REGULARLY ANOINTED THEMSELVES WITH OLIVE OIL TO ENHANCE THEIR LOOKS ... AND TO KEEP THE SKIN SMOOTH! ancient greeks historyBEAUTY+B R AW N history ETWEEN THE 1ST AND 5TH CENTURY BCE, IN ANCIENT ROME, THE MALE BODY SHOWED STRENGTH IN THE GLADIATOR'S ARENA. A GLADIATOR WAS AN ARMED COMBATANT BWHO ENTERTAINED AUDIENCES IN VIOLENT CONFRONTATIONS WITH OTHER GLADIATORS, WILD ANIMALS, AND CONDEMNED CRIMINALS. SOME GLADIATORS WERE VOLUNTEERS WHO RISKED THEIR LEGAL AND SOCIAL STANDING AND THEIR LIVES BY APPEARING IN THE ARENA JUST TO SHOW THEIR STRENGTH. Irrespective of their origin, gladiators offered spectators an example of Rome's martial ethics and, in fighting or dying with honor. They inspired admiration and popular acclaim. They were celebrated in high and low art, and their value as entertainers was commemorated in precious and commonplace objects throughout the Roman world. roman gladiators historyhistoryBEAUTY+B R AW N HERE IS A SERIOUS POINT ON THE MUSCULATURE OF PEOPLE WHO WORE PLATE OR CHAIN MAIL ARMOUR, AS DID THE KNIGHTS IN THE DARK AGES. THE WEIGHT TOF THE ARMOUR HUNG ABOUT THE NECK, AS ILLUSTRATED ABOVE. NOW, WHILE THEY WERE ON A HORSE, THIS WAS PROBABLY NOT SO MUCH OF A PROBLEM, BUT JUST THINK ABOUT MOVING AROUND IN THAT WEIGHT, IN THAT HEAT, SWINGING A CLUNKING GREAT SWORD WITH ALL THAT PULLING DOWN ON YOUR SHOULDERS. NO BLOODY WONDER A KNIGHT NEEDED PAGES - THEY WERE BUILT LIKE - IF YOU PARDON MY FRENCH - A BRICK SHITHOUSE, AND HAD THE SAME ABILITY TO MOVE! dark ages historyBEAUTY+B R AW N history HIS WAS A TIME WHEN THERE WAS LITTLE TO EAT, THE PEASANTS WERE BEING PUSHED ON ALL SIDES -BY THEIR LORDS AND THEIR CHURCHES, WHO NEEDED THEIR TTITHES, AND TO SUPPORT THE GREAT PEREGRINATIONS SUCH AS THOSE OF HENRY VIII (SUCH AS THE FIELD OF THE CLOTH OF GOLD) AND WITH THE MASSED COURT THAT TRAVELLED WITH THEM. BETWEEN THIS AND THE INCESSANT FEUDAL AND NATIONAL WARS MEANT THAT THE AVERAGE PERSON WAS UNLIKELY TO BE VERY WELL NOURISHED. ONE THEREFORE FINDS THAT THE STYLE OF MASCULINE BEAUTY TENDS TO AN ALMOST ANGELICALLY CLEAR AND SMOOTH SKIN, WITH A SLIGHT FLESHINESS THAT BELIES POVERTY. middle ages historyhistoryBEAUTY+B R AW N HE RENAISSANCE WAS - AS THE NAME SUGGESTS - AN OBVIOUS RETURN TO CLASSICAL IDEALS. GREAT FOUNTS OF KNOWLEDGE WERE SPRINGING UP, TAND THE OLD GRECO-ROMAN NOTIONS OF PATRONAGE AND TAKING SOMEONE UNDER YOUR WING (WITH ALL THAT ENTAILED) REARED UP AGAIN. THERE WAS A NEAR-WORSHIP FOR CREATION, FOR GENESIS. THIS IDEAL OF YOUNG, MALE BEAUTY WAS PULLED TO THE FORE, BOTH BECAUSE IT SUITED CLASSICAL IDEALS, AND BECAUSE SOME OF THE EASIEST MODELS FOR A MASTER ARTIST TO GET THEIR HANDS ON WERE THEIR YOUNG MALE APPRENTICES. WE CAN SEE FROM THE STATUE AT THE BOTTOM, THOUGH, THAT WHILE THERE IS GREATER DEFINITION THAN IN THE MIDDLE AGES, IT IS NOTHING THAT SOMEONE WHO WAS ABLE TO DO A GREAT DEAL OF PHYSICAL LABOUR WOULD NOT HAVE. NOTE THE LACK OF STRIAE ON DAVID’S STOMACH, AND THEN CONTRAST THAT WITH THE DETAIL OF HIS HAND - IT IS NOT THAT THERE WAS AN ACCEPTED FLUIDITY IN THE PORTRAYAL THAT ALLOWED DETAILS TO BE GLOSSED OVER. RATHER, THE SIX-PACK DID NOT EXIST IN THE IDEA OF FUNDAMENTAL MALE BEAUTY. renaissance historyBEAUTY+B R AW N history E NOW MOVE ONTO THE 17TH CENTURY WHERE IT BECAME ONE'S DUTY IS TO LOOK PROSPEROUS AND WELL FLESHED IN CLOTHING. OBSERVE WTHE WAY THE COATS ON THE 17TH CENTURY DRESS PATTERNS ARE STRAINED. IT IS QUITE DIFFICULT TO FIND 17TH CENTURY STATUES WITHOUT CLOTHING - THIS WAS THE ERA OF EMPIRE BUILDING , AND THE IDEA OF NUDITY BECAME ASSOCIATED NOT WITH THE CLEANLINESS OF THE RENAISSANCE, BUT WITH THE SAVAGES OF THE NEW WORLD.