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Culture War Roundup for the week of December 11, 2023

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World’s Sexiest Man (Like Woman) is a competition between famous people, it’s never some random person with the best facial structure - it’s almost always a famous model or actress for women or just a famous actor for men. The average male lead is usually pretty established and older.

In addition, the magazines who give out these awards (like People) know their largely middle aged readership and therefore cater to them. Hence why 2023’s sexiest man is 57 year old Patrick Dempsey rather than 27 year old Timothee Chalamet even though I categorically guarantee that any prime-of-her-life 19 year old very attractive woman would pick the latter over the former.

any prime-of-her-life 19 year old very attractive woman would pick the latter over the former.

Well yeah. If you're 19. Hopefully then you grow up and develop better taste than Twiglets.

Dempsey is definitely on the mature side, so too old for 19 year olds (and let's hope to God that applies in both directions because while men of all ages might like nubile 17-20 year olds, it's too much of a scandal waiting to happen if he does pick up a hot chick of that age) but he's not in possession of a face that would turn milk sour, either.

Fair enough. I know that if People had a World's Sexiest Woman feature they'd probably choose a bunch of mature women like Hilary Swank that no man is going to ever jerk off too. They'd probably throw a trans person in there too.

Nevertheless, I think most women do find these men sexy. It's just another data point in the OK Cupid data and, you know, actual real life.

What's your opinion on Maxim's Sexiest Woman? Yes there's a bunch of mature women in there, but this one seems to be picked because she's zaftig (as a plus-size model).

What's your opinion on Maxim's Sexiest Woman?

Yeesh.

Well, at least they didn't pick Lizzo, but Patrick Dempsey is still more attractive than Timothee Chalamet.

Patrick Dempsey is still more attractive than Timothee Chalamet

Anyone is more attractive than Timothée, whose name I can never read without confusing him with the shampoo.

Yeah, basically what I was talking about.

It's hard to say for sure given how much filtering / makeup is involved, but I assume this person is average in real life. You could find hundreds of hotter women on a typical college campus.

You are missing the filter. The average female lead is much younger than a male lead. The filter isn’t at the point where the magazine is picking which 38 year old actor is hottest - the filter is in becoming a star actor. All the personality traits etc men develop over time also make them a better actor. All the I’m young and hot things are selected for in actress and hence they are young and hot.

And it's just a coincidence that the sexiest men in the world are all of an age appealing to the last generation to still buy magazines?