The Importance of Jon Hamm

Jon Hamm is different.  Hollywood needs more guys like him.  He has a look like he's straight out of a Paul Newman film, rugged, handsome masculinity -- the kind that we're used to seeing in Hollywood films.  But he's not the brutish, emotionally distant tough guy, or the womanizing player; he's accessible, friendly, sensitive, caring, and occasionally expresses feminist sentiments.  He cares about rape prevention not "getting laid."  He's in a committed relationship, not playing the field.

There are some advice books for men on how to "pick-up" women or "seduction techniques" that generally involve manipulation, lying and put downs (If you don't know what I'm talking about read up on a book called The Game.)  Guys who embrace this kind of thinking associate the idea of being a ladies man with being a liar, manipulator and verbal abuser.  A real "ladies man" should be a guy who can get attention, dates, or sex while being honest and respectful.  If you have to lie or manipulate to get it, you don't have much. (And that could apply to a lot of things in life.)

Most male sex symbols in today's pop culture are cold, unavailable men who "won't commit" like George Clooney and Leonardo DiCaprio.  There are some shades of gray like Twilight guy, Robert Pattinson.  But in general, the association with sexy men in Hollywood is not guys who talk about the importance of rape prevention.  Seeing our culture celebrate the masculinity of men who embrace being sensitive and caring feels like a serious shift in the way we define gender, in terms of what's "ideal" (the ideal man, the epitome of sexiness).  

Ryan Gosling is another example of a progressive guy being somewhat of a sex symbol.  He's spoken out against the MPAA for perpetuating a "patriarchy-dominant society, which tries to control how women are depicted on screen".  Despite that he is attractive, I don't think he has the same traditional good looks as Jon Hamm, but women like him.  And, maybe it's just me but, his attitude is a big reason why.

Jon Hamm makes an effort to distance himself from the misogyny of his character Don Draper saying, "I’ve never treated any women as badly as Don Draper treats them, with his lies, his affairs, his sexism and chauvinism, and I’d hate [for] anyone to think I was like him." It's very important that he said this.  Media has a profound impact on our subconscious minds, causing us to process images and ideas into how we perceive or value various aspects of life -- like what makes a man desirable.  Despite the obviousness that Don Draper is a bad guy, an anti-hero, I have come across guys who say they would want to be him or be like him on some level.  So Jon Hamm speaking out in opposition to that type of guy (hopefully) makes some kind of a difference.

Seeing men like Jon Hamm and Ryan Gosling as symbols of male sexuality is so exciting to me because it's a change in what society values in men.  People have role models whether they realize it or not.  People emulate what is popular, what is acceptable and what is 'normal'.  Everyone wants to be seen as sexually attractive, even if it is not a main focus in their life, so people adjust to fit what our society defines as sexually attractive.  If the idea of "sexy" is culturally defined as treating other people with genuine respect, then we have a culture of love and peace, which, to me, is what feminism is all about.

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(On a side note: You know who never spoke out against revering a "sexy" misogynistic character?  Adrian Grenier from Entourage, who played a douchey movie star named Vince.  Jon Hamm is the anti-Entourage.  Entourage (which is maybe a little passe now anyway) is flanked by fans who think those guys are actually good role models -- they get girls, they have money, they're famous and adored.  And the actors on that show -- at least one or two of them -- eat it up!  They are proud of representing those characters and attitudes, as if their womanizing and vapid, self-centered lifestyle is something to aspire to.)