Once again, the Arcata Theatre Lounge hosted the annual Mr. Humboldt Pageant in all its hirsute and hilarious splendor. With talent, swimwear, formal wear and “cougar calling,” the competition was a nail biter, coming down to finalists Mr. Queer and Mr. Lumberjack. In the end, the beard and buzzsaw won out and Mr. Lumberjack walked away with the 2019 crown.
According to host Johanna Nagan, after the thrown confetti and underwear cleared, the event raised $2,500 for Food for People, $2,000 for North Coast Rape Crisis, $1,000 for the Arcata Family Resource Center and $500 for Planned Parenthood. See highlights from the manly mayhem in photographer Mark McKenna’s slideshow below.
This article appears in ‘Rid me of this troublesome priest’.
“Beefcake”? Oh, how very 1970s Playgirl-esque sneering that is, Ms. Cahill.
Humboldt County people, females specifically, many of you are sick.
Why take the #MeToo movement seriously or women’s issues in general seriously when so many women have no qualms about engaging in this festival of male body…
> Comparing
> Shaming
> Humiliation
> Stereotyping
Ladies, your protests about misogyny, paternalism and such ring completely hollow when you enthusiastically go for this local gutter depravity.
As for Food for People, I no longer support you. As for North Coast Rape Crisis, the Arcata Family Resource Center, and Planned Parenthood, thanks for reminding me to ignore you.
rlbw: Good eye on the retro use of “beefcake” and thanks for using my preferred title of Ms. Though I’m not sure, if you root through vintage Playgirl magazines, that you’ll find any sneering, nor in my approach the fellas in this slideshow, who clearly gave it their all.
It’s interesting that it takes so little a handful of men actively and consensually sending up beauty pageants and stereotypes about masculinity for laughs and charity for you to abandon support, if ever you gave it, for nonprofits that feed the hungry, aid families in need and give shelter and comfort to victims of sexual assault.
Likewise the ease with which you dismiss the #MeToo movement and its support of victims of sexual assault and harassment based on, what, looking at men who’ve taken the stage to be looked at? Consent is the name of the game, rlbw. And as long as nobody engaged with the contestants without it, I don’t see the harm in a little striptease from Mr. Queer.
There’s a nuanced discussion to be had about male objectification in the context of the patriarchy but the idea that women and femmes must walk a tightrope of chaste, humorless perfection in order to qualify to ask for fair treatment and freedom from violence is just silly.
I suppose we’ll all have to carry on without your support. We’ve done all right without it thus far.