Sexuality and masculinity are terms that have changed drastically over the years. Bordo’s essay Beauty (Re)discovers the Male Body does a wonderful job at representing modern cultures idea of both. Throughout history nude bodies have been included in art and advertisement. Both Nochlin and Bordo acknowledge this fact. It is however the female body that has become the subject of both classical art, represented in Nochlin’s Renoir’s Great Bathers: Bathing as Practice, Bathing as Representation, and in advertisement. It is through both of these essay’s that there seems to be a bit of agreement. Nochlin is strong in her stance that the male viewer and gaze is present in all of the bathing pictures included in her text. The male view is then too present in every one of Bordos. To think that the judging eyes of man painted the bather’s as well as the ads seems contradicting but it is not. Masculinity has become mystified, as Bordo says, “men are not supposed to enjoy being surveyed period. It’s feminine to be on display”. Here they are in agreement that a manly bias is attached to the bathers, but to think that men can observe other men shows how Bordo relates more to present culture. It is now alright for men to look at underwear models and judge them, as well as themselves. The movement towards the male body becoming more liberated can be seen in films with increasing male nudity. Nochlin speaks as if men gaze disgustingly at the female body. But they are now looking alongside women at men in the same way.
Looking at this ad it is hard to tell whether it is selling a surfboard or bathing suit. However, both parties, male and female, can gaze lustfully or objectively and not be judged.
