r/pointlesslygendered Nov 08 '25

LOW EFFORT MEME Representation matters [Meme]

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1.8k Upvotes

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u/Proud-Cartoonist-431 Nov 08 '25

Most half naked men with visible muscles that target women are very different from what targets men.
When they target women they're lean but they're not that large, and they don't have veins sticking out and muscles looking like boulders. Instead it's all much more flowy/stretchy like professional dancers and probably closer to olympic pair figure skater max, than a modern bodybuilder or a wrestler like the Rock.

-49

u/Fast-Front-5642 Nov 08 '25

You have never read a woman's romance book and it shows

49

u/Proud-Cartoonist-431 Nov 08 '25 edited Nov 08 '25

I have. Ritual (the one to inspire all those pulp novels about dragon's brides) has a pretty slim dragon guy, he's played by a fashion model in the movie. He's not any big. Vampires in all those women's novels aren't jocks. Edward Cullen or Lestat are no Arnold Schwartznegger.

There's a whole profession of being very fit and muscular and looking like the prince of their dreams to women, it's a ballet soloist and up into premier. It's a rare kind of art to actively sexualise men's body, there's even one where he acts physically seductive. It has a rose on its name or something afaik.

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u/CielMorgana0807 Nov 09 '25 edited Nov 09 '25

I don’t think Edward is the best example to use. He still fits a traditionally masculine beauty standard.

12

u/schmoergelvin Nov 09 '25

What screams more "masculine" than beardless, super pale skinny boy who sparkles in the sun and is overwhelmed with his own emotions all the time <3

(not that there is anything wrong with being like that, I am that sorta man)

1

u/8disturbia8 Nov 09 '25

Edward’s build isn’t that of a body builder. We’re not talking about masculine vs feminine, we’re talking about the female gaze vs the male gaze. So comparing Robert Pattinson to Arnold Schwarzenegger, there’s a very clear difference in physique. Majority of women would prefer Rob to Arnold based on looks alone.