Screenshot conundrum
It started off as a lark, a bit of a jolt to the mainstream just to see a reaction, if any. As it turns out the non-reaction said more than any comment could.
The Arch Forums screenshot thread is the most popular, most viewed thread each and every month. It is a place to show and tell and for others to see how to best maximize space, usability and creativity. After being a faithful follower for months, I noticed (and not surprisingly) that a number of wallpapers displayed bikini-clad models. If there was a person displayed at all, they were more often females (fantasy characters, actors) than males. Rarely are males depicted in wallpapers, unless they are game characters or Anime.
I also know there are quite a few women users of Arch who also regularly post their screenshots and wondered what would happen if I threw in a partially nude male model in my screenshot with a strategically placed Openbox menu? Would users ask where to find the photo as is very common with many partially nude female photos? or would anyone comment in general?
Well maybe it was just waiting in anticipation, but hours went by without a word. I posted at 1600 hrs on June 8 and the next post was a long 12 hours (and the next day) later. Certainly odd and to my knowledge there was never any remark about my screenshot. I waited for something, anything, especially because my post also had the disclaimer, “This might be NSFW for some…” I thought that at least one person would express their opinion about it, good or bad.
I also wondered if the lack of response was because no one wanted to admit to actually looking at it (after all, more than 450 users did view it) or if people just didn’t know what say. I can understand why most males wouldn’t want to say anything remotely in favour, as it might be construed the wrong way but I thought at least some of the women would comment.
It is always interesting to challenge double-standards and the status quo; to gauge reaction and see what it all might mean. On the surface, my wallpaper had no meaning at all–or maybe it provoked something deeper. No reaction at all could be just that–nothing, but I am hopeful that it challenged the norms somehow or made some impact on the other half. I also recognize that my own biased assumptions are at play here and maybe I expected too much but the bottom line is, I will never know.