Walking around town there is no escaping the sound of sirens coming from emergency vehicles. A majority of the time these vehicles are ambulances and their loud, annoying shrill rings in your head as they try to weave their way through traffic causing nothing but a headaches. Then one day I heard a siren coming from behind me and when I turned to look expecting an ambulance I saw a fire truck and the situation went from annoying to red hot! I instantly got excited expecting to see a truck full of big, manly, gorgeous firemen drive by en route to save the day. Although this fantasy never comes true, every time I see that red truck coming I instinctively have this fantasy, and I’m not the only one.
According to Jungian Theory, archetypes are, “collective universal (although I’m examining Western culture) patterns or motifs which come from the collective unconscious and are the basic content of religions, mythologies, legends, and fairytales.” Male sexual archetypes are not to be confused with sexual types like twinks or bears because they go beyond a persons’ specific sexual preference. Sexual archetypes such as sailors, soldiers and firemen have over the years become cultural icons of male sexuality, sort of like a definition of attractiveness. Consciously women and gay men are physically attracted to them and subconsciously we all, including straight men, want to be like them. In the 1970’s the Village People exploded onto the music scene instantly creating five classic male archetypes with their mass sex appeal. These included the Policeman, Construction Worker, Leather Man/Biker, Native, and Cowboy, most of which still resonate somewhere in our fantasies today but lets face it, it’s been a long time since the seventies.
When I asked 18 year old Ryan what was the first thing that comes to mind when I say Cop, Leather Man, Construction Worker…he responded ‘old and hairy.’ These icons are becoming outdated and as the years go by they are losing their sex appeal. The 20-something culture of today have grown up to different media exposure and unique lifestyles, we can identify with the old archetypes’ iconic stature, but it doesn’t make them sexy now. I think it’s time we left these guys in the realm of vintage porno’s and pick new icons to represent what we desire today. It’s time to give the Village People a makeover.
Then: Policeman
Now: Lifeguard
Both sharing the ‘hero factor’, the lifeguard and policeman posses many of the same qualities, but the image of a cop is changing from a physically fit defender to a pot-bellied, donut eating stereotype. In a post Baywatch world it’s impossible to think of a lifeguard as anything but a muscular, tanned, beautiful faced angel running down the beach in orange shorts.
Then: Native
Now: DJ
The only way I can see a sex factor here is if you were playing a game of naked cowboys and Indians, but it was the seventies and back then anything could float your boat. What these two have in common is they’re both mysterious. I don’t want to get into any racial conflicts so I will stick to describing the DJ. They’re like celebrities without a face. Many DJ’s are internationally famous for they’re ambition, talent and innovative creativity making them sexy even if you’ve never seen what they look like. Gorgeous DJ’s like Peter Rauhofer, Miguel Migs and especially David Morales are making our fantasies a reality.
Then: Cowboy
Now: Gymt Boy
The Cowboy is by far the archetype that is in the least need of a makeover but with western movies being left in the dust I’ve managed to lasso up a hot new contender. In comparison these two are both in limbo of a real job although the Frat boy is working towards a goal. Thanks to porn gurus like Sean Cody the Gym boy is portrayed as a hot bodied, sex driven student. With the freedom they posses due to a lack of an authority figure, they live with virtually no rules and are able to go wild!
Then: Construction Worker
Now: Bartender
It’s a fact that 90% of bartenders are HOT! Both contenders here are in the same blue collared boat but bartenders are usually so attractive they’re intimidating. Physically fit and scantily clad we tip them very well for doing virtually nothing because they win us over not only with their looks but also their charm. To prove this I simply have to walk into Woody’s.
Then: Leather Man/ Biker
Now: Indie Rocker
Keep the bad ass attitude and shake off the fetish aspect and replace the misunderstood vibe with a moderate amount of brooding and the shaggy haired rocker rounds out the five new icons. They’re not afraid to admit they’ve been heartbroken, the Indie Rocker grabs his guitar and heals quickly like a real man should.
The common denominator, and probably the hottest aspect about them, is that we place them on a pedestal and they’re all just a little bit unattainable. So there you have it, my nominees of sexual archetypes for a new generation, the new Village People so to speak. They all possess the sexuality of the old icons but bring a fresh, youthful vitality.
|
