Men/masculinity as a point of interest make me sexist?

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As the title suggests, I am very attracted and interested in men. I think men can be equals and are somewhat equal to women socially, as in they experience jealousy and envy and are cute and fussy. I’m making gendered remarks, I know, but what I’m trying to say is I really really like masculinity and I’d like to know more about masculinity and how men think.

I’m a woman and I like to draw. I almost always draw people, and I mostly draw men because one : I’m attracted to them, and two : I just like drawing them more. I sometimes make my male subjects wear skimpy stuff or I downright exaggerate their masculinity. I ask myself if what I’m doing is sexist—and I know even if it was sexist it still wouldn’t have the same impact as institutionalized sexism.

I don’t know how to feel about myself because I also get weird looks from female peers when I get too comfortable talking about men, I think it makes them think I’m not on there side or something when in reality I too expose and resent the bad things men do and are capable of, like locker room talk. Yuck.

I’m uncertain. Does this make me sexist?

There is something of a double standard where guys are sort of expected to be like that with women whereas women are stereotyped to not be like that about guys. As for it being sexism, different people seem to have very different viewpoints about what sexism is so I would not get very hung-up worrying if it is or not but it might be good to use a bit of discretion & not express or talk about it in public. What you enjoy at home in private should not be anyone else's business.

I see. Understood.

Based only on what you've said here, no you don't appear to be sexist by any reasonable definition.

It is not sexist.

Actually I wish there were more like you.

But it is actually rare and unusual to talk about the male beauty so positively - that’s why your female friends are not relating; the internet (social media and forums) is filled with anti-masculine features hate, a lot of women and men believe men are an ugly gender - while most women are by far more physically aesthetic (The ancient Greeks would disagree).
It is a very common belief that gained so much traction not long ago.

There's another thread in this forum in which I said among other things that autistics objectivize their romantic partners to a degree thought inappropriate by the general population, and this applies to both men and women. It doesn't seem odd to me that you would enjoy making pictures that celebrate male attractiveness including their bodies. In manga one sees a great deal of idealized depictions of both male and female physique, and I don't think saying that autistics are more likely to be manga fans than the average person is out of line.

If your peers react strangely when you talk about men in this way, then probably either a.) they are also autistic and feel threatened by an open expression of admiration for men based on their physical appearance or b.) they are NT and feel threatened by an autistic woman talking about men that way. Some NT women probably see autistic women as a threat and I am certain there are men who fetishize autistic women as well as women who believe that to be the case i.e. they don't like the idea that their partner would leave them for an autistic woman with whom they could have a less stressful relationship (which would probably lead to a big disappointment if they actually tried that).

Its very common that women don't think of men outside of a caricature or implicit bias which often says men can't be pretty or that as a woman, they are forced to like men. And a more popular sentiment is to hate men all together and to shame anyone who is attracted to men, who are men, and those who have a more aesthetic allure for men.

Is it sexist to not be bi?

What? No. Of course not. What social circles are y'all hanging out in?

You can't choose who you're attracted to.

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I usually draw women but I do have a male character, so I am trying to learn how to draw men. I've been researching men's fashion, popular haircuts and different body types because I want to draw a variety of different people. Admittedly, they've turned out rather androgynous so far but I'm working on it. Unless I just roll with that and have an androgynous looking male character I suppose.

OP, I think what you're doing is fine. Although if you do have any advice on drawing men, please send help.



Yeah. I don't like those jokes about 'unfortunately liking men' that I've seen online. Especially if that person has a boyfriend, that seems rather unfair to him. Personally, I think they're on the same level as though haha I hate my wife jokes.

Sorry, I didn't quite understand the thread lol.

Sexism usually involves a derogator attitude. I don't see it here.

Hah!
In my book that makes you horny.

The strictly heterosexual circles are by far more toxic.

Agrees with the above by Face of Boo ,
having written that though ,am abit more inclined to draw female body types , As am liking more round curvacious shapes . Prefers circles over square shapes . Inspite of preferance to males in daily life . But those Greek statues of old are quite impressive

I'll take your word for it. I must admit, my social circle is not particularly straight or neurotypical. Plus a lot of us are into gothic subcultures where gender expectations and social norms are more lax.

As a group, we talk about men in the same way we talk about women. There's no judgement around it. Admittedly, it's been a while since I was in a group that was mostly straight women.

I've noticed that in new work environments when people think I'm a straight woman and I say that I don't have a boyfriend (when asked by nosy coworkers), they respond by saying that it's sensible of me to be focusing on myself and not chasing men.

However, if people know I'm a lesbian and they hear that I don't have a girlfriend, then the response becomes 'well maybe having a girlfriend would encourage you to improve yourself and get your life together', which is rude. Bold of you to assume I require a partner for that.

I mean, my life is a mess, but why the switch up? I find that interesting.

I think what Lost Dragon meant by

...was a rhetorical question.