“Women are feral over Tom Hiddleston while exactly zero of us are attracted to Thor”: Superman has spawned “male gaze” vs “female gaze” discourse on social media
The Superman reboot sparks a heated debate over the "male gaze" vs. the "female gaze" in superhero aesthetics.
It all began when @Wokenessisevil tweeted a side-by-side comparison of Hugh Jackman and Alan Ritchson. In the photos, the actors appear overly-muscular and shirtless, shown in screencaps from their roles as Wolverine and Jack Reacher. The X user claimed the two characters were designed for the female gaze, but many argued otherwise.
They tweeted, "Notice how no one, not a single soul, has ever complained about the female gaze in entertainment."
The internet did complain, just not in the way they expected
Critics quickly jumped in, saying these overly muscular men weren’t shaped by what women want. Rather, they are the aesthetic of what men think women want to see in men. That distinction sparked a flurry of replies arguing that the design of modern superheroes caters overwhelmingly to male power fantasies.
While some commenters cited romance novels as examples of the female gaze featuring muscular men, others pointed out key differences. Those images rarely show vascularity or extreme muscle definition. Several people noted that superhero bodies appear to be on a significant amount of steroids. The overall look is intimidating rather than attractive.
One example given by @twiggysmalz compared the appeal of Thor and Loki. They summed it up bluntly. "The female gaze is perfectly exemplified by the fact that women are feral over Tom Hiddleston while exactly zero of us are attracted to Thor."
Another user shared a viral poll comparing pop singer Olly Murs before and after a 12-week gym transformation. Most women preferred his pre-transformation body, while men leaned toward the post-transformation version.
Men in the comments insisted women were lying about their preferences, reinforcing the idea that male beauty standards are often dictated by men, for men.
"Both of these characters appeal to men far more than women. That's not to say they aren't exceptionally attractive to women, but men over-index on it. This is not only what men think women desire, but what men fanaticize as powerful. It's men that overwhelmingly gravitate to the imagery, and then project it on women," @gullyvuhr noted.
Cavill vs. Corenswet: two Supermen with very different appeals
Nowhere is the discourse sharper than in comparisons between Henry Cavill and David Corenswet, the new Superman in James Gunn’s reboot. Cavill’s version, all bulk and bodybuilder lines, embodied the hyper-masculine ideal often equated with the male gaze. Corenswet, while still fit, offers a softer, less extreme version, prompting some online to claim he was built for the female gaze.
Yet reactions to Corenswet’s look have been mixed. Some praised the more naturalistic body type, while others accused the new film of "softening" Superman.
A recent study showed that extremely low body fat, often required for superhero roles, isn’t considered most attractive by the general public. Instead, bodies with around 15% body fat ranked higher, challenging Hollywood’s obsession with shredded physiques.
Meanwhile, platforms like TikTok and X continued the debate with memes, critiques, and sarcastic hot takes. TikToker @bigdumbidiotshow posted a video of her disbelief, saying, "David Corenswet being so hot that he makes Henry Cavill look ugly. Henry Cavill. That is crazy."
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