Letters to the Editor
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Freudian Symbolism 101 "at work" here!
Warren Beatty did his own "take" on the handyman/housewife thing in "Shampoo" - remember the hair dryer attached to his belt? And in the late 70s heyday of the Village People, most of the women I know were especially fond of the construction worker (never mind "was he or wasn't he" - didn't seem to be relevant here).
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This ain't the newest story, either
I remember catching part of an old '30s comedy where the plot hinged on a female reporter (and, not so understatedly, her male, simpering sidekicks) thinking this factory worker was hot.
The line from "Beautiful Girls" (which I've seen way more time then its qualities warrant) was something about how that was only girls from "working-class towns" and I think the tool belt was just making said women wet. You had to, presumably, unbuckle the tool belt for the other. So it's kind of the opposite of the article's scenario.
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Hot for teacher
The handsome intelligent English teacher who gives the awkward young girl her first sexual awakening, even if only in fantasy, might be a traditional sexual fantasy of a male that has none traditional gender roles, as it is his sensitivity and intelligence that attracts the young girl, not just his chiseled features.
Of course, there is the hint of pedophilia involved in this fantasy, and the real male dominate power structure of educator and student, so perhaps there are no traditional fantasy males who do not conform to masculine ideals.
The obvious answer for this of course, is that women like men who are traditionally masculine, skilled, powerful, and commanding. In fact if you think about it, if women did not find these traits intrinsically sexy it is doubtful that they would have become the traditional masculine trait.
If women had found docile, submissive, klutzy men more attractive they would have chosen them as mates, and the emerging society and biology would have reflected that.
Of course, at the core of any of these fantasies is that they do not conform neatly into the stereotypes we have. I am certain the fantasy contractor is a sensitive soul, who understands the difference between puce and periwinkle, and will no doubt listen to the worries of the bored housewife, something her traditionally male husband doesn't do. That he also has a washboard stomach doesn't hurt, but the fantasy is about what he does more than what he is.
I think women might fantasize about contractors the way men fantasize about waitresses. Here is someone who as soon as you meet them, asks you what you want. Would you like Tuscan marble or wood veneer for your counter tops? Would you like to try our hot wings today, or can I get you an ice cold beer?
The physical fantasy is usually indistinguishable between men and women. Perfection is what we all want in our fantasies, and perhaps the little quirk or "imperfection" that constitutes our particular preference. Beyond that, when character is added to the fantasy, it becomes about what they give us that we don't feel at home.
For women, perhaps they feel that the fantasy man respects them, thinks she's smart, and above all else wants to make her happy. Men in contrast, like to think about women who respect him, think he's smart, and above all else want to make him happy. Oh wait, I guess we're more alike than you might imagine.
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roles flipped
the older woman seducing the young poolboy/landscaper/etc? I suppose this isn't far off from the contractor scenario, in that it generally involves a kept housewife, but the sexual power is held by the woman in this classic plot device.
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Criticizing the wrong thing
Yes, the story featured a glut of "desperate houswives." But frankly, the bored, materialistic housewife with the rich husband is a stereotype precisely because these people do actually exist. And in some communities, like parts of Manhattan, Bevery Hills and the East End of Long Island, they exist in pretty large numbers. And frankly, the Times loves them!!
I think the real Times prejudice at work here is not that it thinks all women are pampered and neglected, but that the only people the reporter talked to were high-end contractors working for rich princesses and their hubbies. The upper and upper-upper demographics are the only ones the Times give a damn about, or even seems to realize exist.
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Mannies
What about the rumors of an affair between Britney Spears and her "manny?" Though I suppose the rumors were inevitable regardless of their validity, the idea of a man piquing a woman's romantic interest by engaging in a traditionally "maternal" occupation is sorta interesting.
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What about that Naked Chef?
Guy with a lisp who cooks for a living. Do women find him attractive?
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NYT is becoming so stupid,
it will make my head explode!
"the only people the reporter talked to were high-end contractors working for rich princesses".
Enough already of rich, bored, whiny people - with their over-indulged, over-scheduled kids and their liposucked, botoxed faces!
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rarely seen sexualized male?
are you insane? really what else can I say. It is true that the average woman is much less likely to find the average man attractive than the other way around. If that is what you mean your sanity may be less in question, but that seems like wierd definiton of "sexualized".
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Works both ways
Last week I was away for work and my husband was left working at home while there were contractors working on our house. He emailed me about a cute contractor girl who got his attention. It seemed like a standard fantasy for him as well. Guys like the tough girl with the tool belt too.
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Commentors and have got it right....only with trophy wifes
The article only applies to the rich trophy wife set of which there are thousands. I know because I see a lot of the media plans that goes after this target market. Rich pretty women with nothing to do. Come on how do you think Versace stays in business.
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the rare sexualized male
replying to the statement about the rarity of "sexualized males," one of the many anons wrote:
are you insane? really what else can I say
I believe the term "sexualized male" in this instance refers to men who are seen/portrayed purely as objects for others' sexual amusement or gratification. You seem to think that males in our culture are sexualized all the time, but not by that definition.
Woman are constantly sexualized, shown naked or scantily clad in every kind of advertisement. The female body (or, more often, its parts) is constantly paraded before us in films and on television even when it has nothing at all to do with the plot or character development. Images of women in sexualized situations are everywhere in our society. There's no escape from them.
Now, when was the last time (outside of underwear ads or gay men's magazines) do you remember seeing a very scantily clad male? Or a camera lingering on a man's ass or crotch they way they do on women's breasts? It is rare to see men portrayed as sexualized, being looked at as a potential sexual partner by other people. (And I have to add that, as a gay man, I find that a damn shame.)