Beefcakes!

Summary:

            “Lovely men parading (around) as early as (the) 1920’s topless and with extremely hefty physique” are considered beefcakes, the cheesecake’s counterpart. A cheesecake what female pin-ups are referred to, and male pin-ups, beefcake ("Beefcake - sexy,").

            Beefcakes are known to be heavily into fitness and health. Johnny Weissmuller, a Tarzan actor, is considered a beefcake who came into fame because of his practically-nude clothing, so to speak, and his fit and muscular body displayed in the Tarzan movie.

            In comparison to cheesecakes who wear a decent amount of makeup and cute little outfits, beefcakes’ main focus is on maintaining their build and ultimate fitness – that in itself is enough to give them the title.

            The types of “scenes” that are depicted in photographs of beefcakes usually involve the man being topless in a bed. Other scenes involve the “Cowboy”, the “Sailor Boy” or even “The Firefighter”. Images of beefcakes are often found in advertisements that promote a healthy lifestyle, top-of-the-line underwear, etc. ("Beefcake - sexy,"). Playgirl and Rolling Stones are popular “beefy” magazines that contain two prevalent and very much-admired beefcakes: Brad Pitt and Hugh Jackman for instance. These two in particular are more of the modern-day beefcakes ("Beefcake - sexy,"). “Pin up is never complete without a touch of vintage masculinity” ("Beefcake - sexy,").

Analysis:

           

            It’s important to remember that the female isn’t the only gender of the human species that have beautiful and sexy bodies to be fawned over and appreciated. Men, too, were seen as worthy of being looked at, but the idea of women looking at erotic pictures of men wasn’t as widespread. Although, the beefcake still existed and there are still media that allow them to showcase their attributes, in a sense. The most-likely reason for the lack of prevalence in regards to beefcakes/male pin-ups is the tendency for women to suppress their sexual desires and fantasies, though they do indeed exist. For some reason, in society, it isn’t quite politically correct for a woman to drool over a man and to use men’s pictures for the same purpose as men use women’s’.

           

Reflection Questions:

1.      Why isn’t the idea of a beefcake as common as a cheesecake or female pin-up?

2.      How did the first beefcake’s come to be?

Beefcake - sexy men!. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.pinuppassion.com/beefcake.html