Men’s Pink Underwear is the Latest Trend

You might be surprised to learn that men’s pink underwear has become the latest hot fashion trend. You can find pink underwear designed for men in boxers, briefs and trunks in a stunning array of fabrics and styles. These great looking underwear are the ultimate in fashion and men all over the world are discovering their softer side with pink men’s underwear.

No longer are pink men’s underwear the result of a laundry disaster. Today, men are wearing pink underwear on purpose and loving every minute of it. Men are looking for the latest fashions as much as women are and there are plenty of men who find these undergarments the ultimate in chic style.

The latest trends in men’s underwear fashions shows a strong leaning toward bright and clean colors that offer a softer but still masculine look in underwear. In fact, most people would agree that the choice of pink underwear for men is one that almost dares anyone to question masculinity.

Those who want to be on the cutting edge of fashion for men’s underwear should consider some of these more chic and bold colors such as pink for their undergarment choices. It is a great look for men and really no color should be off limits. Pink is a cool color for underwear and it’s no longer just for women. Add a few pieces to your collection and give them a try. You will love the way that they look and you might just want to take a few more chances with your underwear choices.

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Men and Jewelry

Jewelry design experts predict men's jewelry is not just a passing fad. In fact, designers and retailers are devoting more time, energy, attention, and store space to men's jewelry than ever before. Gone are the days when cuff links and watches were all that was available for men. While these stylish standards remain a big part of today's selection, there are also now earrings, rings, bracelets, necklaces, and pendants to choose from.
Men today are showing the same desire to show their identity to the world
Indeed, men's fashion is becoming more varied, with men themselves making purchases and becoming more conscious of their style and the image they project. Bracelets for instance, have become almost as common as watches, thanks to new, masculine designs made of wood, shell and alternative metals, ranging from gold and platinum to anodized aluminum. Designers are mixing and matching materials into fashionable items that work with corporate looks as well as more casual ensembles. The versatility of stainless steel, titanium and tungsten carbide designs continues to emerge as a selling point.
"Men today are demonstrating increasing fashion sophistication among themselves. They are undoubtedly more comfortable wearing jewelry – non wedding rings, necklaces, and bracelets, for instance – than their fathers were," said jewelry design instructors for GIA.
According to historians in GIA's library, the contemporary emergence of men's jewelry is not an isolated phenomenon. Early monarchs and noblemen wore extravagantly bejeweled items – clothes lavished with diamonds, pearls, and gold buttons; fashionable pearl stickpins; ornamental timepieces; ornate diamond necklaces; and swords set with decorative gemstones.
Men today are showing the same desire to show their identity to the world, and they are often at ease and confident enough to wear a watch with a bracelet, necklace, or ring. As more varied forms of jewelry have become socially acceptable for them, new questions arise such as, what kind of jewelry do modern men want? What catches the modern man's eye? How can these masculine styles appeal to the modern woman?
With men's jewelry flourishing, cufflinks are more popular than ever. Classic designs in gold, silver or platinum are always a big hit for the conservative businessman. Handcrafted designer silver cufflinks paired with a matching pendant creates an elegant blend of contemporary masculinity. Integrating diamonds, black onyx, malachite, garnets, rubies or sapphires represents a novel departure for the sophisticated man who likes to match accessories with his attire. Men do not have to be professional athletes or billboard musicians to wear earrings these days. Handcrafted designer pieces in silver or platinum can create an elegant blend of contemporary masculinity for any man. Even a diamond stud can be the perfect accessory for a night out on the town.

Herbivorous Boys: The Latest in Japanese Metrosexuality

Young men in Japan are redefining traditional notions of what it is to be a man in that staunchly patriarchal country. Reuters reports that growing disillusionment with the economy and conventional lifestyles has led young men in their twenties and thirties to reject stereotypically masculine interests and goals like corporate careers, marriage, raising a family, and even dating. These 'herbivorous boys,' as they've been labelled by the media, instead focus their time and attention on their appearance and the Internet. "Since I was a child, I hated people telling me, 'Behave like a man.' I don't think my parents' way of life is for me," said Roshinante, a 31-year-old hotel worker who moderates an online forum on herbivores. He adds, "I still struggle between the traditional notion of how men should be and how I am."

In a survey conducted by a Japanese market research firm, nearly half of the 1,000 men aged 20 to 34 polled identified themselves as herbivores, which carries the connotation of either avoiding 'the flesh' or 'being passive' with regard to women. Conventional wisdom suggests that this increasingly prevalent way of life is a reaction to the conspicuous consumption that marked Japanese culture during the economic boom of the go-go 1980s. After the economic downturn, young people could not expect and, in some cases, rejected the lifestyles of their parents' generation. "Herbivorous men always existed," says newspaper columnist Maki Fukasawa, who is credited with coining the term 'herbivorous boys.' "But the bursting of the bubble and the collapse of lifetime employment contributed to their increase." Indeed, Roshinante and his peers feel somewhat at a loss with regard to both their present circumstances and their future. The marketing survey has indicated that these young men lack self-esteem and spend much of their time alone. "While [herbivores] don't want to follow the traditional model, they don't know what to do," said Roshinante.

Though the herbivores may be resigned to grazing their way through life, big business smells blood. "We cannot ignore herbivorous boys because they are almost a majority," said Shigeru Sakai, a marketing researcher. Marketing experts are now scrambling to determine how to make money off these underemployed, ambivalent, and apathetic boys. Of course, they are.

Male Rape

* Overview

* Definition

* Victims' Response

* Male Rape as an Act of Anti-Gay Violence

* If You Are a Victim

* References

* Bibliography

* For Additional Information

o About 3% of American men – a total of 2.78 million men – have experienced a rape at some point in their lifetime (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2006).

o In 2003, one in every ten rape victims was male. While there are no reliable annual surveys of sexual assaults on children, the Justice Department has estimated that one of six victims are under age 12 (National Crime Victimization Study, 2003).

o 71% of male victims were first raped before their 18th birthday; 16.6% were 18-24 years old, and 12.3% were 25 or older (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2006).

o Males are the least likely to report a sexual assault, though it is estimated that they make up 10% of all victims (RAINN, 2006).

o 22% of male inmates have been raped at least once during their incarceration; roughly 420,000 prisoners each year (Human Rights Watch, 2001).

Overview

Society is becoming increasingly aware of male rape. However, experts believe that current male rape statistics vastly under-represent the actual number of males age 12 and over who are raped each year. Rape crisis counselors estimate that while only one in 50 raped women report the crime to the police, the rates of under-reporting among men are even higher (Brochman, 1991). Until the mid-1980s, most literature discussed this violent crime in the context of women only. The lack of tracking of sexual crimes against men and the lack of research about the effects of male rape are indicative of the attitude held by society at large -- that while male rape occurs, it is not an acceptable topic for discussion.

Historically, the rape of males was more widely recognized in ancient times. Several of the legends in Greek mythology involved abductions and sexual assaults of males by other males or gods. The rape of a defeated male enemy was considered the special right of the victorious soldier in some societies and was a signal of the totality of the defeat. There was a widespread belief that a male who was sexually penetrated, even if it was by forced sexual assault, thus "lost his manhood," and could no longer be a warrior or ruler. Gang rape of a male was considered an ultimate form of punishment and, as such, was known to the Romans as punishment for adultery and the Persians and Iranians as punishment for violation of the sanctity of the harem (Donaldson, 1990).

Nicholas Groth, a clinical psychologist and author of Men Who Rape: The Psychology of the Offender, says all sexual assault is an act of aggression, regardless of the gender or age of the victim or the assailant. Neither sexual desire nor sexual deprivation is the primary motivating force behind sexual assault. It is not about sexual gratification, but rather a sexual aggressor using somebody else as a means of expressing their own power and control.

Much has been written about the psychological trauma associated with the rape of female victims. While less research has been conducted about male rape victims, case research suggests that males also commonly experience many of the reactions that females experience. These reactions include: depression, anger, guilt, self-blame, sexual dysfunctions, flashbacks, and suicidal feelings (Isley, 1991). Other problems facing males include an increased sense of vulnerability, damaged self-image and emotional distancing (Mezey & King, 1989). Male rape victims not only have to confront unsympathetic attitudes if they choose to press charges, they also often hear unsupportive statements from their friends, family and acquaintances (Brochman, 1991). People will tend to fault the male victim instead of the rapist. Stephen Donaldson, president of Stop Prisoner Rape (a national education and advocacy group), says that the suppression of knowledge of male rape is so powerful and pervasive that criminals such as burglars and robbers sometimes rape their male victims as a sideline solely to prevent them from going to the police.

There are many reasons that male victims do not come forward and report being raped, but perhaps the biggest reason for many males is the fear of being perceived as homosexual. However, male sexual assault has nothing to do with the sexual orientation of the attacker or the victim, just as a sexual assault does not make the victim survivor gay, bisexual or heterosexual. It is a violent crime that affects heterosexual men as much as gay men. The phrase "homosexual rape," for instance, which is often used by uninformed persons to designate male-male rape, camouflages the fact that the majority of the rapists are not generally homosexual (Donaldson, 1990).

In a well-known study of offenders and victims conducted by Nicholas Groth and Ann Burgess, one-half of the offender population described their consenting sexual encounters to be with women only, while 38 percent had consenting sexual encounters with men and women. Additionally, one-half of the victim population was strictly heterosexual. Among the offenders studied, the gender of the victim did not appear to be of specific significance to half of the offenders. Instead, they appeared to be relatively indiscriminate with regard to their choice of a victim -- that is, their victims included both males and females, as well as both adults and children (Groth & Burgess, 1980). The choice of a victim seemed to be more a matter of accessibility than of sexual orientation, gender or age.

Many people believe that the majority of male rape occurs in prison; however, there is existing research which shatters this myth. A study of incarcerated and non-incarcerated male rape victims in Tennessee concluded that the similarities between these two groups would suggest that the sexual assault of men may not be due to conditions unique to a prison and that all men are potential victims (Lipscomb et al., 1992).

Research indicates that the most common sites for male rape involving post-puberty victims are outdoors in remote areas and in automobiles (the latter usually involving hitchhikers). Boys in their early and mid-teens are more likely to be victimized than older males (studies indicate a median victim age of 17). The form of assault usually involves penetration of the victim anally and/or orally, rather than stimulation of the victim's penis. Gang rape is more common in cases involving male victims than those involving female victims. Also, multiple sexual acts are more likely to be demanded, weapons are more likely to be displayed and used, and physical injury is more likely to occur, with the injuries that do occur being more serious than with injured female rape victims (Porter, 1986).

Definition

Sexual assault and rape include any unwanted sexual acts. The assailant can be a stranger, an acquaintance, a family member, or someone the victim knows well and trusts. Rape and sexual assault are crimes of violence and are used to exert power and control over another person. The legal definitions of rape and sexual assault can vary from state to state (National Center for Victims of Crime, GetHep Series: Sexual Assault Legislation). However, usually a sexual assault occurs when someone touches any part of another person's body in a sexual way, even through their clothes, without that person's consent. Rape of males is any kind of sexual assault that involves forced penetration of the anus or mouth by a penis, finger or any other object. Both rape and sexual assault includes situations when the victim cannot say "no" because he is disabled, unconscious, drunk or high.

In some states, the word "rape" is used only to define a forced act of vaginal sexual intercourse, and an act of forced anal intercourse is termed "sodomy." In some states, the crime of sodomy also includes any oral sexual act. There are some states that now use gender-neutral terms to define acts of forced anal, vaginal or oral intercourse. Also, some states no longer use the terms "rape" and "sodomy," rather all sex crimes are described as sexual assaults or criminal sexual conduct of various degrees depending on the use and amount of force or coercion on the part of the assailant (National Center for Victims of Crime, GetHep Series: Sexual Assault Legislation).

Victims' Response

It is not uncommon for a male rape victim to blame himself for the rape, believing that he in some way gave permission to the rapist (Brochman, 1991). Male rape victims suffer a similar fear that female rape victims face -- that people will believe the myth that they may have enjoyed being raped. Some men may believe they were not raped or that they gave consent because they became sexually aroused, had an erection, or ejaculated during the sexual assault. These are normal, involuntary physiological reactions. It does not mean that the victim wanted to be raped or sexually assaulted, or that the survivor enjoyed the traumatic experience. Sexual arousal does not necessarily mean there was consent.

According to Groth, some assailants may try to get their victim to ejaculate because for the rapist, it symbolizes their complete sexual control over their victim's body. Since ejaculation is not always within conscious control but rather an involuntary physiological reaction, rapists frequently succeed at getting their male victims to ejaculate. As Groth and Burgess have found in their research, this aspect of the attack is extremely stressful and confusing to the victim. In misidentifying ejaculation with orgasm, the victim may be bewildered by his physiological response during the sexual assault and, therefore, may be discouraged from reporting the assault for fear his sexuality may become suspect (Groth & Burgess, 1980).

Another major concern facing male rape victims is society's belief that men should be able to protect themselves and, therefore, it is somehow their fault that they were raped. The experience of a rape may affect gay and heterosexual men differently. Most rape counselors point out that gay men have difficulties in their sexual and emotional relationships with other men and think that the assault occurred because they are gay, whereas straight men often begin to question their sexual identity and are more disturbed by the sexual aspect of the assault than the violence involved (Brochman, 1991).

Male Rape as an Act of Anti-Gay Violence

Unfortunately, incidents of anti-gay violence also include forcible rape, either oral or anal. Attackers frequently use verbal harassment and name-calling during such a sexual assault. Given the context of coercion, however, such technically homosexual acts seem to imply no homosexuality on the part of the offenders. The victim serves, both physically and symbolically, as a "vehicle for the sexual status needs of the offenders in the course of recreational violence" (Harry, 1992, p.115).

If You Are a Victim

Rape and sexual assault include any unwanted sexual acts. Even if you agree to have sex with someone, you have the right to say "no" at any time, and to say "no" to any sexual acts. If you are sexually assaulted or raped, it is never your fault -- you are not responsible for the actions of others.

Richie J. McMullen, author of Male Rape: Breaking the Silence on the Last Taboo, encourages seeking immediate medical attention whether or not the incident is reported to police. Even if you do not seem injured, it is important to get medical attention. Sometimes injuries that seem minor at first can get worse. Survivors can sometimes contract a sexually transmitted disease during the sexual assault, but not suffer immediate symptoms. Even if the symptoms of that disease take weeks or months to appear, it might be easily treated with an early diagnosis. (If you are concerned about HIV exposure, it is important to talk to a counselor about the possibility of exposure and the need for testing. For more information about HIV transmission and testing, contact the Centers for Disease Control National HIV/AIDS Hotline. Check the contact list at the end of this bulletin for the phone number and address information.)

Medical considerations making immediate medical attention imperative include:

* Rectal and anal tearing and abrasions which may require attention and put you at risk for bacterial infections;

* Potential HIV exposure; and

* Exposure to other sexually transmitted diseases.

If you plan to report the rape to the police, an immediate medical examination is necessary to collect potential evidence for the investigation and prosecution.

Some of the physical reactions a survivor may experience in response to the trauma of a sexual assault or rape include:

+ Loss of appetite;

+ Nausea and/or stomachaches;

+ Headaches;

+ Loss of memory and/or concentration; and/or

+ Changes in sleep patterns.

Some of the psychological and emotional reactions a sexual assault survivor may experience include:

* Denial and/or guilt;

* Shame or humiliation;

* Fear and a feeling of loss of control;

* Loss of self-respect;

* Flashbacks to the attack;

* Anger and anxiety;

* Retaliation fantasies (sometimes shocking the survivor with their graphic violence);

* Nervous or compulsive behavior;

* Depression and mood swings;

* Withdrawal from relationships; and

* Changes in sexual activity.

Survivors of rape, and often of attempted rape, usually manifest some elements of what has come to be called Rape-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (RR-PTSD), a form of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) . Apart from a small number of therapists and counselors specializing in sexual assault cases, few psychotherapists are familiar with the symptoms and treatment of RR-PTSD. For this reason, a rape survivor is usually well-advised to consult with a rape crisis center or someone knowledgeable in this area rather than relying on general counseling resources. The same applies to those close to a rape victim, such as a partner, spouse or parent; these persons become secondary victims of the sexual assault and have special issues and concerns that they may need assistance in dealing with effectively.

Local rape crisis centers offer male sexual assault victims direct services or referrals for services, including: counseling, crisis services and support services. Victims may contact their local rape crisis center, no matter how long it has been since the rape occurred. Counselors on staff can either provide support, or help direct the victim to trained professionals who can provide support. Most rape programs are staffed by women; however, some programs have male and female counselors. If you prefer one or the other, make that preference known when you initially contact the program. Whether or not they have male staff on call, almost all rape crisis centers can make referrals to male counselors sensitive to the needs of male sexual assault survivors. In addition, many communities across the country have support groups for victims of anti-gay violence.

Counseling can help you cope with the physical and emotional reactions to the sexual assault or rape, as well as provide you with necessary information about medical and criminal justice system procedures. Seeking counseling is an important way to regain a sense of control over your life after surviving a sexual assault. Contact your local rape crisis program even if services are not expressly advertised for male rape survivors. The number can be found in your local phone book listed under "Community Services Numbers," "Emergency Assistance Numbers," "Survival Numbers" or "Rape."

Sexual assault and rape are serious crimes. As a sexual assault survivor, you have the right to report the crime to the police. This decision is one only you can make. But because authorities are not always sensitive to male sexual assault victims, it is important to have a friend or advocate go with you to report the crime for support and assistance.

References

Brochman, Sue. (July 30, 1991). "Silent Victims: Bringing Male Rape Out of the Closet." The Advocate, 582: 38 - 43.

Bureau of Justice Statistics. (1997). Criminal Victimization in the United States, 1994. Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice.

Bureau of Justice Statistics. (March 1985). The Crime of Rape. Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice.

Donaldson, Donald. (1990). "Rape of Males," in Dynes, Wayne, ed. Encyclopedia of Homosexuality.New York: Garland Publications.

Groth, A. Nicholas and Ann Wolbert Burgess. (1980). "Male Rape: Offenders and Victims." American Journal of Psychiatry,137(7): 806 - 810.

Groth, A. Nicholas and B. A. Birnbaum. (1979). Men Who Rape: The Psychology of the Offender.New York: Plenum.

Harry, Joseph. (1992). "Conceptualizing Anti-Gay Violence," in Herek, Gregory and Kevin Berrill, eds. Hate Crimes: Confronting Violence Against Lesbians and Gay Men.Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.

Human Rights Watch, 2001.

Isley, Paul. (1991). "Adult Male Sexual Assault in the Community: A Literature Review and Group Treatment Model," in Burgess, Ann, ed. Rape and Sexual Assault III: A Research Handbook.New York: Garland Publishing, Inc.

Lipscomb, Gary H. et al. (1992). "Male Victims of Sexual Assault." Journal of the American Medical Association,267(22): 3064 - 3066.

McMullen, Richie J. (1990). Male Rape: Breaking the Silence on the Last Taboo. London: GMP Publishers Ltd.

Mezey, Gillian and Michael King. (1989). "The Effects of Sexual Assault on Men: A Survey of 22 Victims." Psychological Medicine, 19(1): 205 - 209.

National Center for Victims of Crime. (1992). "Rape-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder," Get Help Series, Washington, DC

National Center for Victims of Crime. (1995). "Sexual Assault Legislation," Get Help Series, Washington, DC

National Crime Victimization Study, 2003.

Porter, Eugene. (1986). Treating the Young Male Victim of Sexual Assault. Syracuse, NY: Safer Society Press.

RAINN – Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, 2006.

Tjaden, P., & Thoennes, N. (2006). Extent, Nature, and Consequences of Rape Victimization: Findings From the National Violence Against Women Survey, NIJ, CDC. 

Bibliography

Allers, Christopher et al. (1991). "HIV Vulnerability and the Adult Survivor of Childhood Sexual AbuseChild Abuse and Neglect, 17: 291 - 298.

Baker, Timothy and Ann Burgess, Ellen Brickman and Robert Davis. (1990). "Rape Victims' Concerns About Possible Exposure to HIV Infection." Journal of Interpersonal Violence,
5(1): 49 - 60

Bradway, Becky. (1993). Sexual Violence Facts and Statistics. Springfield, IL: Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault.

Burgess, Ann and Timothy Baker. (1992). "AIDS and Victims of Sexual Assault." Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 43(5): 447 - 448.

Comstock, Gary. (1991). Violence Against Lesbians and Gay Men. New York: Columbia University Press.

Fuller, A. Kenneth and Robert Bartucci. (1991). "HIV Transmission and Childhood Sexual Abuse." Journal of Sex Education & Therapy, 17(1).

Gostin, Lawrence et al. (1994). "HIV Testing, Counseling, and Prophylaxis After Sexual Assault." Journal of the American Medical Association, 271(18): 1436 - 1444.

Jenny, Carole et al. (1990). "Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Victims of Rape."
The New England Journal of Medicine, 322(11)

National Center for Victims of Crime. (1992). Looking Back, Moving Forward: A Program for Communities Responding to Sexual Assault. Arlington, VA: National Center for Victims of Crime.

National Center for Victims of Crime and Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center. (1992). Rape in America: A Report to the Nation. Arlington, VA: National Center for Victims of Crime. 

For additional information, please contact:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention1600 Clifton Road
Atlanta, Georgia 30333
Phone: (404) 639-3311
Public inquiries: (404) 639-3534
Toll-free: (800) 232-4636
TTY: (888) 232-6348
www.cdc.gov

American Social Health Association
P.O. Box 13827
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
Main Phone: (919) 361-8400
STI Resource Center
Hotline: (800) 227-8922
www.ashastd.org
Portland Men's Resource Center
12 Southeast 14th
Portland, OR 97214
Phone: (503) 235 – 3433
www.portlandmrc.com
Men Stopping Rape
P.O. Box 2361
Madison, WI 53701
Phone: (608) 257 – 4444
www.men-stopping-rape.org
Centers for Disease Control
National Prevention Information NetworkDistributes a variety of educational materials to the public. Provides expert referrals.
P.O. Box 6003
Rockville, MD 20849
Toll-free: (800) 458 - 5231
www.cdcnpin.org

National Sexual Violence Resource Center
123 North Enola Drive
Enola, PA 17025
Toll-free: 877-739-3895
Phone: 717-909-0710
Fax: 717-909-0714
TTY: 717-909-0715
www.nsvrc.org

National Center for Victims of Crime2000 M Street NW, Suite 480
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 467-8700
Our helpline is staffed Monday through Friday 8:30am to 8:30pm EST:
Toll-free Helpline: 1-800-FYI-CALL (1-800-394-2255)
Fax: (202) 467-8701
TTY/TDD: 1-800-211-799
Email: gethelp@NCVC.org
www.ncvc.org
National Crime Victims Research & Treatment Center
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Medical University of South Carolina
165 Cannon Street, P.O. Box 250852
Charleston, SC 29425
Clinic phone: (843) 792-8209
Administrative phone: (843) 792 – 2945
www.colleges.musc.edu
National Gay & Lesbian Task Force
1325 Massacusetts Avenue, NW
Suite 600
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (202) 393-5177
Fax: (202) 393-2241
www.thetaskforce.org
Your state Attorney General, county/city prosecutor, or county/city law enforcement:Check in the Blue pages of your local phone book under the appropriate section heading of either "Local Governments," "County Governments," or "State Government."

All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2008 by the National Center for Victims of Crime.   This information may be freely distributed, provided that it is distributed free of charge, in its entirety and includes this copyright notice.

Don't Bring In The Metrosexuals

Still On Metrosexuals

The different informative bodies such as- The New York Times, The London Times and several other sources claim that the term metrosexual was first introduced in November 1994 by author Mark Simpson. He published an article in a British paper titled "Here Come The Mirror Men". The article referred to the metrosexual as "a single young man with a high disposable income, living or working in the city (because that's where all the best shops are)."

The word metrosexual is made after joining the two words namely- metro and sexual. The metro prefix point outs city, which means that this man has urban lifestyle, while the sexual suffix comes from the word "homosexual," which means that although he is straight, symbolizes the aesthetic sense of dressing up with an open desire to be associated with certain types of gay men.

It is most often seen that the heterosexual men have a strong apprehension for their outward appearance and they really don't care how their look might be perceived by the others. Their lifestyle shows the common traits that are typically seen amongst the gay men. They have an earnest desire for fashion and their main interest lies in to making up them to look the most presentable wherever they go.

A heterosexual metrosexual man takes benefit of residing in or near a major city which help them to access the great stores, salons, spa at ease. This type of man is basically concerned with his self-image enhancing that by personal grooming, adopting new fashion trends and aesthetics in general without botheration of money.

The typical metrosexual is a young man with money to spend, living in or within easy reach of a metropolis - because that's where all the best shops, clubs, gyms and hairdressers are. He might be officially gay, straight or bisexual, but this is utterly immaterial because he has clearly taken himself as his own love object and pleasure as his sexual preference. The on going professions which cover modeling, waiting tables, media, pop music and, nowadays, sports are welcoming these men with the open arms.

There is a long list of celebrities who are regarded as metrosexual like soccer star David Beckham, who has been known to paint his fingernails and former American president Bill Clinton, etc. A metrosexual dares to try new and feminine and is not afraid to embrace. They are also a part of society asking for the same sense of respect and care as all are getting just because of being born in the society.

Overheard

Metrosexuals

By mid 1990s metrosexualbecame a buzzword all over the world. With the burgeoning revolution in liberating society from the shackles of patriarchal and sexist society, not only were the conventions broken, the tide of changes among the sexes came in waves. For instance, liberation were not only felt by the gays and the lesbians who suddenly had the freedom to flaunt who they really are, but men (and women) as well who suddenly felt free to show their feminine side. Some of which were vastly different from the former stereotypes of society so much so that new phenomenon caused confusion among the populace or some may put it as the general public found it hard to catch up with the revolutionary changes happening. A case in point is the metrosexuals- what is metrosexual?

The term metrosexual was introduced in 1994 as a combination of metropolitan and heterosexual. It was first used by Mark Simpson in his novel Here Comes Sundance. It is defined as a tag for heterosexual males who are particular about vanity and neat freak. It can be used both as a noun and an adjective, both of which are considered informal. Usually this refers to a group of urbane men whose sophistication is closely related to the manners and cultured lifestyle and preferences of men living in the city. Oftentimes, metrosexuals are said to be vivid personification of a consumerist lifestyle where people are readily attracted to get and try out products that are heavily advertised and those that are considered good and instrumental in helping people to become acceptable and attractive according to the mainstream standards. In general, there are numerous similarities between the metrosexuals and the gay.

The term is surrounded by a host of controversies one of which is whether metrosexual is just an allusion to gays since technically they seem to have the same behaviour and image. Some on the other hand believed that metrosexual is just another strand of homosexuality. Nevertheless, the vanity and neatness that metrosexuals exhibited are usually associated to femininity and clashes against the machismo image that has been pinned to the word men. However, these new breed of people (metrosexual) usually models and celebrities, do not hesitate to portray their self- image regardless of whether it is quite unconventional. They can easily find their niche in the mainstream/ pop culture and to some extent they can be considered as trendsetters in so far as fashion and personality are concerned.

Needless to say, metrosexual is technically not a term for another form of sexuality but a term for specific way of self- expression where men can freely project their self- concept/ self- image regardless of whether it is in synched with society's notions and conventions of how people should behave according to their sexual orientation. What is metrosexual? In a nutshell, it can be defined as another term for vanity exclusively used for people whom the society never expects to exhibit such characteristics like the men. But it should never be confused with homosexuality, it being an entirely different story.

By

Dr. Barry Lycka

How to Get Your Hair Back - Learn The Secrets You Will Need

Are you experiencing hair loss? Is it something that is affecting your life in a major way? Well if so then you need to keep reading because there are many things you can do which will help. All you need to do is begin following a few simple tips.

The first thing you can do to help prevent that thinning hair and loss is to get out in the sun. Sometimes the reason for thinning hair or loss of hair is to due to a lack of Vitamin D. And getting out in the sun is the best way for you to naturally get this Vitamin back into your body. It will help stimulate your scalp and start the natural growth process over again.

Some other things you can do to help naturally bring your hair back is to eat better. Hair loss can be due to a lack of certain vitamins and nutrients. And in some cases can be caused by too much fat in your diet. So instead of eating unhealthy and not paying attention to your diet you will want to start eating better. And things like lean meats, fresh fruits and vegetables are by far the most important things you can put into your body.
So instead of doing nothing about your loss of hair you should start following tips like these. They will help you effectively get your hair back. There is no reason for you to have to keep suffering from something like this. So make sure you begin following these helpful tips.

By Hunter Elliott