nightwing, sexualization, and objectification..... it really does surprise me how pervasive it is. a male character's physical attractiveness is meant to be a power fantasy, created by and for (cishet) men; in comics, they're supposed to look rugged and tough and ripped. dick can fit that bill, depending on who the artist is, but he's definitely not meant to represent the same masculine ideal as bruce fits, for instance. it's fascinating just how much dc loves to remind everyone that dick is hot, and people think he's hot, and you should find him hot too. there are so many ass jokes. people keep commenting on how handsome he is, sometimes to the point of absurdity. in the games, low-level grunts will call him a pretty boy, over and over again. it seems innocuous at first but then you consider the multiple times he's been assaulted and groomed and raped in the comics. side characters and love interests will ogle him while he's undressing and make comments about his body without his knowledge or consent. even members of his family will bring up what a lady-killer he is, despite the fact that he's uncomfortable by the insinuation and doesn't consider himself promiscuous at all. he can't escape the attention and scrutiny and lustful appreciation of others, inside or outside of the narrative.
what would that do to someone, when they're constantly being reminded of their body and how much others objectify it. does dick start leaning into it himself?
