There’s been no shortage of journalistic speculation lately about the ongoing increase in plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures being obtained by men. Honestly, however, figuring out why more modern males are willing to go the extra mile for their appearance is no mystery. Just turn on a television set, go to the movies, or take your electronic device to any pop culture website. Beautiful men are everywhere.
During the mid-20th century, male stars could get away with having faces like Humphrey Bogart and bodies that, by modern standards, were nothing to write home about. Exemplars of classic-era Hollywood male beauty like Cary Grant, Clark Gable, and Gary Cooper in their prime looked almost sickly next to your typical under-50 leading man of today when it was time for a shirtless scene. While some writers are speculating about the current popularity of movie superheroes raising the bar for contemporary men, it’s important to note that, on midcentury American TV, Adam West’s Batman and George Reeves’ Superman were, to put it bluntly, a bit paunchy.
By the late 1970s, things were changing rapidly and Christopher Reeves’s Superman was in appropriate super-shape while, much more recently, Christian Bale’s Dark Knight was a model of male perfection. Generally speaking, today’s young prospective leading men are expected to be about as perfect looking as the women they work opposite. We don’t think it’s a coincidence that all of this is concurrent with the rise of feminism. Even in an age where women in media are continuing the battle against objectification, men in media are becoming more aware that people watching television and movies enjoy looking at attractive people of all genders.
While we still have a long way to go, it really does look like a leveling of the playing field is closer than ever. When it comes to appearance, what’s good for the goose really may soon be good for the appearance-conscious gander. We’re certainly seeing more male patients BHP who are trying to keep up in an increasingly competitive atmosphere for men in their careers and personal lives. Are you or your significant other next?