Muscle Talk
The weekend was laid back but it was not without the demand of life's obligation. I spent almost all day Saturday preparing this week's lesson, which will plunge into the meat of War and Peace, as the climate of politics tautens and the fortunes of key characters change. Then I spent some time with my friend Stephen with whom I hadn't had a chance to catch up after he came back from a trip to the big apple. We took a stroll up to the Castro from his apartment in lower Hayes Valley under the glittering sun and decided to have noodle at Thai Noodle Express at Castro and 19th. We arrived just minutes before the neighborhood's blend of yuppie-meets-grunge people poured in. The waitress seated us at the window which commands a view of the street. A couple of tank-topped macho daddies walked down the street holding hands, followed by a young lanky guy with the build of a gymnast. Then a flamy Asian queen donning a hunter green contour-fit T shirt and a striped tie busied himself kissing his partner while crossing Castro. Stephen and I were amused by the street sights and we almost voiced out the concurrent opinion about big muscle being a gay icon.
The aspiration to be big, macho and muscular sweeps through the gay community. Not that I'm into the porns but look at all the big posters and advertisement: they all have the appeal of big muscular men. Those thick pecs and bulging biceps that are barely confined under the tight fabrics of the skimpy muscle shirt give away a man's sexual orientation. And even with a tinge of vanity does a man like to flaunt the fruit of his long hours of hard labor at the gym. I can relate to that. I remember when I first noticed my chest showing under my athletic ringer T shirt--I was so excited that I would want to show it despite the Mark Twain's saying the coldest winter he ever had was San Francisco's summer. I've never known the thrill and intrigue of flexing that muscle on my arm known as the bicep until I have my own! This is all vanity in the working. I first worked out for health reason, wanting to lose weight and get fit, but I'm sure if it was not for the purpose of looking good and attracting attention from other men, I wouldn't have been able to accomplished this much--losing 50 pounds and then gaining the muscle that I could only have dreamed of having. I know many gay men don't even sweat about the 6 pack but at the same time an invisible pressure--the pressure to look good and the pressure to conform--hangs over their head. Meanwhile I'm happy with my 41". *g*
Anyway, enough of my babbling for the day.
Tonight I'm going to witness the postscript of Berkeley's landmark Cody's Books, which will close the door for good after being in business for 50 years. That would be something for me to blog about tomorrow. Until next time everyone.
The aspiration to be big, macho and muscular sweeps through the gay community. Not that I'm into the porns but look at all the big posters and advertisement: they all have the appeal of big muscular men. Those thick pecs and bulging biceps that are barely confined under the tight fabrics of the skimpy muscle shirt give away a man's sexual orientation. And even with a tinge of vanity does a man like to flaunt the fruit of his long hours of hard labor at the gym. I can relate to that. I remember when I first noticed my chest showing under my athletic ringer T shirt--I was so excited that I would want to show it despite the Mark Twain's saying the coldest winter he ever had was San Francisco's summer. I've never known the thrill and intrigue of flexing that muscle on my arm known as the bicep until I have my own! This is all vanity in the working. I first worked out for health reason, wanting to lose weight and get fit, but I'm sure if it was not for the purpose of looking good and attracting attention from other men, I wouldn't have been able to accomplished this much--losing 50 pounds and then gaining the muscle that I could only have dreamed of having. I know many gay men don't even sweat about the 6 pack but at the same time an invisible pressure--the pressure to look good and the pressure to conform--hangs over their head. Meanwhile I'm happy with my 41". *g*
Anyway, enough of my babbling for the day.
Tonight I'm going to witness the postscript of Berkeley's landmark Cody's Books, which will close the door for good after being in business for 50 years. That would be something for me to blog about tomorrow. Until next time everyone.
6 Comments:
I almost feel like there's more pressure on gay men to look a certain way than there is on women now... and, therefore, more pressure on straight men to look the opposite to be "macho"... though that doesn't even make sense... **rolling eyes**
The older I get, the less pressure I feel to be anything. I had been eating poorly due to the change in lifestyle the bookstore brought, but finally decided that I needed to exercise and eat right again. I feel better physically when I do so, but also I feel much better about myself when I know I look healthier, too. However, I do it all for me--not anyone else.
I used to want to have a different face, but now I really like how I look because it's uniquely representative of me.
Jordan:
That's why we need Queer Eye for the Straight Men. *g*
Jef:
Exercise does make you feel better-all the moving around and sweating are so refreshing. I feel so rejuvenated knowing I'm heading down the right road to health.
Anomie:
Cody says there's not enough bibliophiles who would keep the store going. "The students are browsing the internet; they are reading the text books."
Fun-knee that, my coworker told me yesterday that the 6pack has a new name these days: cum-gutters.
ZOINKS! So not appropriate! :-) Happy Tuesday Matt.
Robert:
You're one naughty boy. :)
Jef-
I used to want to be a *different race* - not that I'm ashamed of being Chinese or Asian, I just want the damn hair you guys have. lol I don't have the hairy genes. It takes me three weeks to grow a quasi moustache!
Brian-
The physique thing is surely satiated in the gay community. It seems to me that whenever they tries to market a product, a service, or even a vacation package, they bust out that pumped up thick pec body image on the flyer. But what's really the point?
It was not until after I started working out did I realize I should done it for myself, for my health, and not for contributing to this public image.
Thanks for sharing. :)
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