Being Handsome Is Not Related To Race Or Gender

DEEPANKAR OJAH

3 years ago

A few days ago, a rumour went viral on the internet claiming that BTS singer RM had been elected as the world’s most handsome man, replacing Henry Cavill, aka Superman. Soon after, the rumour spread like wildfire worldwide, and people began making memes and launching troll attacks on social media. Although the TC Candler later revealed the news was false, people continued to target RM with abuse, trolls, and memes.

The outrage happened because of the prevalent stereotype of Asian men as less manly and European and American men as more “handsome”. The same happened in India a few years ago, when Sanjay Dutt promoted an alcohol brand by ranting about being “Manly” and “handsome.” The entire ad was so disturbing and toxic that it sparked outrage on social media.

So, what exactly does “handsome” mean?

At the start of the 15th century, “handsome” referred to any object that was easy to handle and manipulate. Over time, the term “handsome” became more humanized, and by the 16th century, “handsome” referred to someone generous and friendly. Edward Spencer, the author of the epic poem “The Faerie Queene,” was the first to use the adjective “handsome” to describe “beauty.”

Later in the 17th century, Shakespeare took the hint from Spencer and used the word “handsome” to describe Ludovico as a “very handsome man,” in Othello. Interestingly, “handsome” remains gender neutral even in that era. His contemporaries, such as Mary Wortley Montagu, also used the word for female characters.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, it was common to use the word “handsome” for both males and females. For females, it is more akin to “imposing” or “stately.” For men, it is used to describe an alternative to being good-looking. As the centuries pass, the word “handsome” becomes more and more associated with a male character, whereas “beautiful” is associated with women. However, even today, “handsome” remains gender neutral; it is never reserved for males.

Even the Oxford dictionary uses the word “handsome” to describe both males and females. As we can see, the definition of “handsome” is changing from mundane, lifeless objects to humans. But, unfortunately, we are not sure what “handsome” will mean in another 50 years.

Without going too far back, Bollywood stars like Amir Khan, Salman Khan, and Shahrukh Khan used to have longish hair and clean-shaven faces, with no bulging muscles or six-pack abs. They used to be regarded as the pinnacle of “handsomeness” among Indians.

In the late 2000s, Hollywood began to rule among Indian audiences, quickly changing the prevailing perception of “handsome” to the western stereotypes of “asymmetrical body.” Actors with beards, gruff appearances, and expertly sculpted, insanely ripped physiques are now considered attractive. But this newly found concept of “handsomeness” has also encouraged “toxic masculinity”. In the last eight years, social media has been flooded with terms like “alfa male” and “macho man.”. Every day, a new influencer rant about toxic masculinity and male insecurities emerges.

Every element in a socially constructed society, whether culture, emotions, or tradition, is ephemeral, evolving, and changing. A concept like “handsomeness” is also part of this ever-changing cultural ephemerality. Hence, we should be more open when discussing “being handsome.”

According to the American Psychological Association, one of the men’s primary causes of mental depression is increasing insecurities about their masculinity. It also causes racial abuses among different ethnicities. Researchers discovered that when stereotypes and cultural expectations were removed, there were few differences in basic behaviours between men and women. So let’s remove the gender, race, or “masculinity” label from being handsome.