On very rare occasions in my day, I’ve seen men that were literally breath-taking, they were so attractive; it’s an interesting phenom.
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Yes… and there is also a big difference between thinking ‘daaaaayum wouldn’t kick him/her out of bed’ about a random stranger walking down the street that you find attractive and saying things out loud to them too. We all are going to see people that are stunning to us every now and then, but you know that doesn’t give you license to approach them, say things to them, etc, etc.
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I am being perfectly honest when I say that I see men, women, and even children that are beautiful, either because of their natural features, or the time they have spent grooming themselves. Appreciating beauty is not sexual.
Other people are probably the most interesting things we observe as we go about our daily activities. But everyone deserves respect and dignity. There is difference between seeing and staring or appraising and sexualizing body parts, or just losing yourself in looking, as if they weren’t fellow humans.
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Yup. I know of at least one guy on this planet that makes me think to myself - if I had to take a pill that rendered me gay, he is the reason why I’d completely fine with it.
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I think it’s also worth noting that the feelings elicited by the way another person looks are still ours. The other person isn’t really responsible for them, if that makes sense.
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I think everyone who has a healthy attitude about sex has at least one ‘fence jumper.’
Now please excuse me; this thread is in dire need of more chocolate.
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Male Gaze is the idea that the film is written and directed for the benefit of the (heterosexual) male viewer. Just as the eye of a heterosexual man may be drawn, however briefly and unconsciously to a pretty women on the street, and not to an equally handsome man, the camera in most films lingers on what a heterosexual male likes to see.
Gay male gaze follows the instincts of a gay man. Female gaze directs the camera as a woman sees the world, and so on… It’s often a subtle bias, but critics say it’s there.
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In my limited experience, I find that many women really enjoy reading about male/male gay romance and gay sex, but straight guys are actively repulsed by it to a degree that culture has just learned to avoid it in media. But as you say, it’s surprising that shows and media targeted more at women aren’t more comfortable including it. I guarantee your audience will appreciate it!
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Or rather…out of a kilt! 
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It makes perfect sense. And I wish someone had explained that 16yr old me. Cuz I was firmly of the opinion that it was my fault. So many unwanted interactions. Dates. Sex. Blerg. It took me way to long to realize I didnt have to go out with someone just because they wanted to. Such a weirdly naive child I was. LOL
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Not at all; it’s the way our society ‘grooms’ females from damn near birth.
At its core, everything we do is ‘supposed to be’ a facilitation to male wants and needs.
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When I started saying no… man that was so freeing! You mean I can say no?
But then they changed tactics!
Then suddenly I was a prude or uptight, unelightened or my personal fave “unevolved”. And omg so many friendzones so many!
Honestly gotta say Im loving my 40s. So much fades away when you age. 
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I had several extremely awkward dates in my younger years, all from either not saying ‘no’ or from co-workers asking me to please date their daughters (!?) which never went very well.
Then again, I never really ‘got’ dating. I never once have gone on the typical Hollywood movie/tv date, ending in sexy stuff and going home the next day or whatever. There’s been sexy stuff but it was atypical at best!
My 40s are much less fraught with dating anxiety or drama, and I don’t miss it one bit.
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In context, this actually somewhat irritated me about Walkaway. There was transgender sex, lesbian sex (involving a crunchy Earth-mother type who is somewhat of a misogynistic stereotype IMO), three-way sex, but m/m sex was conspicuously absent. I feel that it would be natural in context to include gay sex, but someone somewhere thought it was icky. I want to say it was an editorial decision out of respect for Doctorow, but combined with the slightly misogynistic way he writes the female characters, I’m not so sure.
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I just happen to be listening to this while reading this thread:
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We’ ve all encountered people who treated us as if their attention was some kind of a gift. As if their choice to focus their attention or desire on me was something that I needed to be grateful for, and worse, that they couldn’t help!
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The Handmaid’s Tale continues to impress me. The dialogue is great, but what I find most impressive is how patient the show is in allowing the characters (female characters especially) to react and how the camera focuses on their faces so that you can see every little movement. The actors are given so much time to say so much with their expressions that the half the story is in the silences. It’s a powerful and refreshing counter to the prevalent male gaze and witty banter.
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I can’t even…
2017, folks. 2017.
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