Male beauty is always being undermined by violence, defaced, attenuated

“My point, other than to share pictures of naked men with you on a Friday night, is that something is wrong with the way science fiction deals with male bodies. Male beauty is always being undermined by violence, defaced with goo, or attenuated by its association with birthing. I’m not saying it’s wrong to show men engaged in action, or in ugly situations. But I do think it’s odd that lovely male bodies are almost always put on display in contexts where we are made to feel uncomfortable or upset by seeing them.

There’s something almost schizophrenic about male nudity in science fiction. We see glimpses of men’s allure, only to have it erased. It’s as if these scenes are titillating you, only to slap you in the face.”

— Annalee Newitz,