I don't really have a coherent thought other than the question of looks (attractiveness, ugliness, desire) is a huge half-buried problem in most progressive conversations or scenes (totally including indie).
eg as a fat bloke I feel excluded from images of the perfect male bod as peddled by FHM etc. But I feel even MORE excluded from and resentful of images of more androgynous male beauty eg. emo boyz, Bowie clones, japanese boybands etc. - because those already represent a challenge for the 'power dynamic' of male attractiveness but it's a challenge that STILL manages to leave me out.
Now when I say "excluded from and resentful of" it's a minor niggle rather than a neurosis - I yam what I yam and at 34 most of my emotional body image scars have long healed over (also I'm used to being a tubbo which will give me an advantage when mid-life crisis hits my male peers!). But it's an example of how confusing the whole area is.
Re: We're veering away from the topic but what the hell I could do with a rant
eg as a fat bloke I feel excluded from images of the perfect male bod as peddled by FHM etc. But I feel even MORE excluded from and resentful of images of more androgynous male beauty eg. emo boyz, Bowie clones, japanese boybands etc. - because those already represent a challenge for the 'power dynamic' of male attractiveness but it's a challenge that STILL manages to leave me out.
Now when I say "excluded from and resentful of" it's a minor niggle rather than a neurosis - I yam what I yam and at 34 most of my emotional body image scars have long healed over (also I'm used to being a tubbo which will give me an advantage when mid-life crisis hits my male peers!). But it's an example of how confusing the whole area is.