Social Question

rebbel's avatar

NSFW - How would men feel about calendars with naked males?

Asked by rebbel (35553points) April 2nd, 2011

Inspired by rooeytoo’s question i was thinking: how would we, men, feel like when entering a premise where just women work and the walls were covered with calendars or posters with males in erotic stances, wearing nothing or not much?
Does your opinion, whichever it may be, change your view on how women deal with female nudes in the male working space?
I for one would feel a bit awkward.

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22 Answers

Tocon_Tactus's avatar

I’m not a fan of overt sexual behaviour in any context not specifically related to the activity itself. Probably just me.

tranquilsea's avatar

My hubby says he would be uncomfortable. He said the same about walking into the welder’s place of business and seeing the nekked women.

Michael_Huntington's avatar

As long as they’re hot, I don’t have a problem.

12Oaks's avatar

Not for me, but it is a First Amendment right for them to have the publications they desire. The models also are allowed to work in the trade that they desire. Many strive their whole lives to become professional models, and who is anybody to judge their life decisions? I hope they make a lot on their modeling jobs, and a whole lot more tax-free income doing personal appearances. Maybe the women in the plant would love for Mr. September to come and meet them, and if they’re willing to pay top tax-free dollar, it’s their choice and nobody should be allowed to dictate the decorum of their workplaces.

If this sounds familiar, it should.

TexasDude's avatar

I wouldn’t care. I wouldn’t put it on my wall, but whatever. Hell, I’d probably pose for it if I was getting paid.

math_nerd's avatar

It is just a body. When I was in Europe there were advertisements with topless women in bus shelters. If I was bothered by seeing some cock I would avoid the mirror. Swing it loud and swing it proud.

Hawaii_Jake's avatar

Sexually explicit pictures or other types of media, talk, and behavior have no place in a place of employment.

dabbler's avatar

Your second question assumes I never thought about the first question before. Basically if you’re a guy and have tried to put yourself in your cherished women’s shoes or in fact have been subject to objectification yourself that has already informed your answer about female nudes in the male workplace. It’s important to understand how innocent feelings of attraction to the attractive gender are, and even to share ideas about those with folks with the same preference. The honest and caring person will also notice what will disturb others and avoid that out of consideration. Most people like sex and appreciate a good drive. Most people don’t like being de-personalized, objectified or any otherwise disrespecting situation. Most people don’t really want distractions at work either and would rather see something innocuous on the walls.
Math nerd makes an excellent point that cultural context and where people are more comfortable with each others bodies what’s offensive if fairly defined differently and makes a considerable difference. But as far as I can tell in the US it’s inappropriate to have nude pictures on your workplace wall unless your actual work involves nude pictures.

mrentropy's avatar

I wouldn’t care, but I’m never treated as a sex object and I’ve never had anyone interested in me just for sex.
Man, now I’ve gone and depressed myself.

jerv's avatar

Seems fair to me. Gals gotta get their groove on too.

@hawaii_jake Cramming political correctness down peoples throats had no place in a free society. There is a point where it goes from protecting decency to being indecent in a different way.

Hawaii_Jake's avatar

@jerv : Anything which puts one group on a lower playing field than others in the work place where the field should be level is about rights not political correctness.

WasCy's avatar

Nudity ≠ Pornography

Even if it did, pornography doesn’t upset me, so while I might be surprised (and intrigued), I wouldn’t be upset by it. But if I were a manager I would no more permit it than I would permit nude photos of women in the workplace, if it were a business open to the general public – who would likely be put off by that. (I’d likely modify that stance for a sex-related business such as an adult book / novelty store, burlesque, or equal.)

In another lifetime, decades ago when I worked at ‘hot’ nuclear power plants, when we worked in high radiation areas of the plant we dressed in locker rooms prior to entry into containment. We’d strip down to our underwear and socks and dress in cloth radiation suits (owned and laundered by the plant) plus plastic booties over our work shoes, cloth and rubber gloves, all taped at the joints. When we finished our work at the point of the work (the nearest ‘clean’ step-off point to it, inside the containment building) then we’d strip out of everything but our underwear, socks and shoes, and walk back to the containment entrance / exit point, wand out (check for residual radioactive contamination), and when declared ‘clean’ go back to the locker room to dress and return to the staging area or field office.

The first time you strip to your underwear inside an idled power plant and walk back maybe several hundred feet to a door, with women all around, is kind of surreal. After awhile, you get used to even that. It ain’ no thang.

And if you’re ‘crapped up’ and contaminated, say by a tear in the suit or failure of a taped joint in your clothing, then you strip off everything and head for a shower – where someone else may help to clean you.

ETpro's avatar

I wouldn’t buy one, but it is fine with me if someone else does. I have no problem withladies admiring the male form, or gay men doing so for that matter. Whatever floats their boat.

Mikewlf337's avatar

Why the hell would I care. I wouldn’t buy it but women and gay men would. Men like to see naked women, women like to see naked men,

creative1's avatar

Here is how I see both of these issues… Men are more visual creatues by nature its a fact and are drawn more to the visual aspects of women unfortuately…. Women are less likely to be drawn to this calendar except as a novelty item maybe as a gift for a bridal shower or such. Your not going to see a calendar like this in an all women workplace as least that is how I see it. However you would see this calendar in a all homosexual male work place because of this visual thing I had mentioned above. Even though they are gay men they still are visual creatures. This is just one women’s opinion regarding this, either way its the human body and it doesn’t make me uncomfortable either way. I look at either as a form of art. I am a visual person even though I am a women because I like art but I like it in a different way its more to look at something in order to recreate it than to get turned on by it.

Response moderated (Personal Attack)
Hawaii_Jake's avatar

@jerv : Where have either of my posts to this question been about morals? Where have I said that pictures of naked women are degrading? When did I say I felt uncomfortable? What is it you want me to cope with?

jerv's avatar

@hawaii_jake Let us start with this; if you do not feel that they are degrading then why did you mention anything about ”...a lower playing field…”?

Hawaii_Jake's avatar

Is it not possible to stick with the OP here? I believe the main point of the OP has to do with work environments.

In the working world, there are limits on free speech. Creating an area where people can compete equally is the point. I do not have the right to create an atmosphere rife with racial insults or discriminatory epithets based on gender.

The OP asks whether an all-female workplace displaying nude males in erotic stances would make men uncomfortable. The OP goes on to say it would make him uncomfortable. I agree.

That is lowering the playing field in my book.

The same can be said when a woman enters an area where men display nude and lewd pictures that the OP references from the other question. The OP of the referenced question stated that she was uncomfortable and that it made her more difficult to be taken seriously. In other words, she was discriminated against.

It’s the law we’re actually discussing here. We’re not talking about morals, degradation, or feelings. Before the law, all are equal in democratic societies. At least, they’re supposed to be.

Hypocrisy_Central's avatar

Gadzooks, I suppose I would feel slightly uncomfortable if the women were not lesbians. I know I would not look like the men on the posters with the washboard abs so I may allow it to intimidate me, not because I would be hoping to attract any of the females but because I would be thinking they would be sizing me up to those guys, and even though I knew I wouldn’t measure up to have it pointed out bluntly and not with tact would still not go down well.

OpryLeigh's avatar

I doubt any of the men I know would be bothered about it. In my experience, men tend to be a bit more laid back about these things than women.

jerv's avatar

@hawaii_jake I feel that that would actually be leveling the playing field, and since we disagree on that, we are not going to see eye-to-eye on this issue. I do not see it as discriminatory. Maybe it’s because I have worked where I’ve worked. Maybe it’s because I can handle myself in the real world. Maybe it’s just that I fail to see the fairness of making hundreds of people alter their behavior for the sake of one person. Maybe its because I have worked with too many woman who could at least handle it and most could dish it out as well as take it. I don’t know, but unless and until it crosses the line to criminal threatening, I don’t see the problem.

You can claim discrimination, but it’s possible that the employer discriminates against the overly sensitive. Or maybe the perception is that you got where you are by crying instead of on merit; that the boss bribed you into not filing a lawsuit.

I don’t recall seeing where the question was limited to the law, or really any mention of it, so until you and I can agree on what the question even is, there is no chance of us agreeing though, so we may as well stop now. I’ve given my opinion and answered the question that I read at the top of the page, so there isn’t anything more I can do here except start a fight.

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