The "Are they hot?" Question

[Felassan]

I'm taking a figure drawing class and whenever I mention that we're drawing from a live model the first question I get from a person is "Are they hot?" 

 

I don't know if I'm having an ace moment or if the people I know are just pervy. It's not pornographic, so what difference does it make????

 

I think people who pose nude for artists are hella brave. They're there to be drawn, not to be judged. But that's just my thoughts.

 

It also annoys me when I meet someone whose personality I'll absolutely love and upon mentioning said person to another the first question asked is once again "are they hot?"

 

I can't tell if a person is "hot."

 

I know some people I like to look at, but I don't see them as "hot" or "sexy," it's more like "you're pretty like a sunset and I wanna stare till my eyes catch fire but no way do I want to do anything more!" I guess some people call it aesthetic attraction, but I don't really know.

 

Any ace artists out there who have had similar experienced or another view point? Anyone else also annoyed by the "are they hot?" question? What are your opinions? I must know!

[Ceebs]

I'm sexual and don't like being asked if I think someone is hot. It's such an individual thing, plus also, mind your own goddamn business unless I volunteer that information. I'm not really inclined to just randomly discuss others' appearances, nor do I usually feel much of a need to share when I think someone is attractive.

 

Now, if someone is asking if a person (presumably someone they can't see themselves) is sterotypically hot, I can answer that with relative ease, but am also likely to add something along the lines of "But so what?"

[HonoraryJedi]

My point of view is similar to one of your first thoughts, that it isn't as much of an ace thing, but rather, other people being pervy. Especially in the artclass.

38 minutes ago, Felassan said:

It's not pornographic, so what difference does it make???? /.../ They're there to be drawn, not to be judged

Those are great responses! you can absolutely say that to people who ask you if the models are hot. And I think you're absolutely right about the nude models. Even if you are sexual and do think they're hot, it isn't really respectful to make an artclass with a live model into something sexual.

 

With hotness being the first question when you mention another friend, that I feel can have one of very many meanings. Like, it could be a way of asking you if you are into that friend, if you've already spoken warmly about them. A clumsy way to ask that of someone who is ace, but it could be well meaning ignorance, and somewhat understandable. It could also be that the person you talk to has a one track mind, and actually think that hotness is the most important factor regarding any person. Which I am less tolerant of. They could think that be trying to figure out if they would be into your friend themselves. All kinds of things. It is still completely reasonable to straight up tell that person that you didn't think your friends hotness levels was important to what you were trying to say, with varying degrees of harshness depending on how you think the question was intended. 

 

For myself, I can usually to some degree have an opinion about whether or not someone is 'hot', but especially when it comes to real people, I don't know how valid that opinion is. Since there is nothing in the world that will make me want to have sex with that potentially 'hot' person. And it is hard to know if that is a part of the definition or not. I think in your example, it is not as much about not knowing if someone is hot, but that it is slightly inappropriate or rude to ask about hotness in that context.

[Aloney]

Ugh, nude models are there to be drawn and for studying the form and variety of human anatomy, not as your weird sexy object 🙄 It's funny, I really don't see them like.... as someone who could in any way be there to attract me, the more I look, the more I just see different shapes and surfaces combining with each other, and appreciate the lights and shadows that help demonstrate how to bring depth into the drawing. It's that simple. 

I also understand the "aesthetic" thing, people can be attractive like Felassan's perfect example, a sunset, you just want to admire the scenery, but no one (assumably) wants to have sex with a sunset :'D

[lilgroundhog]

I'm not an artist, but do have a related story.  Back in college had a dream that my older brother was unlawfully adopted instead of dying and I met him again as an adult (I was 2 when he died).  Was telling my mom this dream and one as her questions basically was he attractive.  Me being me had no idea how to answer, so I think I said something about him being my brother. 

[Laplace]

Whenever anyone asks me if someone is hot, I’m always tempted to respond very literally/sarcastically 😅. Like, “Yeah, their flesh was being incinerated before my very eyes; it was horrifying! 😱🙃”

[iff]

57 minutes ago, Laplace said:

Whenever anyone asks me if someone is hot, I’m always tempted to respond very literally/sarcastically 😅. Like, “Yeah, their flesh was being incinerated before my very eyes; it was horrifying! 😱🙃”

"No, no, they didn't look like they were coming down a fever"

 

Not in relation to nude modelling but I've been asked this question and been in a room when it has been asked before about whether a person was hot or not and my thought is that I never considered it or thought about the person in that way. I remember two work colleague, one asked the other if their areas representative in parliament was hot and I just found that I didn't understand why it mattered or reason on question, I've never looked at the politician as anything but a politician.

 

But same when someone asked about a singer I like, I just like her music. I don't think of her as any thing but a great singer

 

I don't think the people asking it would be satisfied with the answer "not something I thought about"

[Fluffy Femme Guy]

Context is everything. The purpose of the nudity in that context is not related to sex.