Companies that Permit Male Models to Glare

Today as I waited for my haircut inside a hairstyling business in Austin, I glanced through the pages of a recent issue of "Gentleman's Quarterly" that was offered to all customers there.

The name of that publication struck me as ironic, since nearly all of the facial expressions of male adult models who had been photographed for advertisements in that publication were aloof, scowling, and hostile. "I'm determined to show that I dislike you, and I don't care if you dislike me for disliking you," those male models might as well have declared to that magazine's readers.

It is easy to blame these male adult models as being allegedly responsible for those glares into the camera in the guise of fashion. Those misanthropic-looking male models give a bad name to adult men in general. Through those models' cruel facial expression and haughty demeanor, they give the impression they're hoping to be "discovered" by a Hollywood executive planning to direct a future horror movie.

"I hope I come across as a plausible Vampire for your planned ultra-violent movie," those male actors might as well declare in public statements they each write accompanying each of their photographs that appear in "Gentlemen's Quarterly's" advertisements.

It seems to me, though, that the primary culprits are the corporations paying lots of money to advertising professionals for magazine ads depicting nasty, sour-faced, vicious-looking adult men as "representatives" and "salespersons" for their own corporation.

If those same corporations were to insist on only making use of people-friendly, warm, attractive photographs of male adult models for advertisements, this would completely transform how American men are depicted in the mass media.

That dramatic change would help to restore true meaning to the word "Gentleman" in magazines such as "Gentleman's Quarterly."

In the meantime, I myself will strive to always think twice before I even consider purchasing any product or service by any company that places ads in magazines that feature cruel-looking male models. The odds are high, too, that I myself will refuse to purchase nearly all of those products or services for myself.