Our next guest blogger from MLR Press is Dakota Flint
Men in Uniform
Recently in one of the chat loops I belong to, there was a discussion of men in uniforms and how attractive they are. (I believe the words HOT and YUMMY may have been used...once or a hundred times *g*) And it got me thinking. Whether it's cowboy hats and boots, military dress, or scrubs...what is it about men at work and the uniforms they wear? Is it the uniform itself or more what the uniform represents? Personally, I think it's more about what the uniform represents, but I'll be the first to admit certain uniforms look really good.
In light of that, I thought I'd take a look at a few of my favorite men in uniform in M/M fiction--or any romantic fiction--and why I think they're sexy.
The Cowboy--It's no secret that a nice, cool drink of cowboy in fiction sure hits the spot for me. In fact, I have a novella, Seeing You, coming out soon from MLR Press in the Studs & Spurs anthology. (Shameless plugging, thy name is Dakota.) So what is it that makes them so...yummy? Aside from the wranglers that always seem to fit like a second skin and hug their--well, you get the picture. Hopefully. (If not, take a gander at the Studs & Spurs cover. Hoo-boy.) For me, though, it's more about the affinity they have for nature and the animals they make their living with. It's the sense of independence and quiet strength they have, a man and his horse holding onto a way of life evocative of years gone by and the romantic ideals associated with them. The cowboy lives a simple life, bound to the land, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who is taken by the idea of a solitary man finding companionship and love--and let's be honest, orgasms--out on the trail. Or the barn loft. Or the stables. Oh yeah.
The Doctor--Mmmm. Scrubs. Easy to remove and...Oh yeah. *clears throat* I think for me it's about the intelligence--always a very sexy thing--and the dedication it takes to become a doctor. The training takes years and is very rigorous, and there is something so attractive about a man who goes through that because he wants to heal and save lives. There's a certain nobility about it all. Doctors also work very hard, so it's nice to see them relax and *ahem* relieve tension when they get home to their honey.
The Military Man--Another one of my favorites, and although ACUs are pretty darn hot, it's definitely more about the men wearing them. Courage, strength, dedication, loyalty. The willingness to die defending their country. What's not admirable or attractive about that? Let's not forget the level of fitness required to perform their jobs, which brings to mind hot, hard, sweating...um, yeah. *fans face* Oh and let's definitely not forget how very, well, homoerotic military training and situations can be. Guys living together in high stress situations and only finding their best buddies around for some tension relief. *fans faster* But maybe that's just me. Either way, the military man is definitely one of the sexier men in uniform in m/m fiction.
Of course, these aren't the only men in uniform I find to be really attractive and sexy in fiction. Some others easily come to mind: The cop. The firefighter. The...postman. No? Heh. I'm just checking to make sure you're still paying attention. But I think it depends on the individual readers what kind of uniform and job they love the best for their men in romantic fiction.
Men in Uniform
Recently in one of the chat loops I belong to, there was a discussion of men in uniforms and how attractive they are. (I believe the words HOT and YUMMY may have been used...once or a hundred times *g*) And it got me thinking. Whether it's cowboy hats and boots, military dress, or scrubs...what is it about men at work and the uniforms they wear? Is it the uniform itself or more what the uniform represents? Personally, I think it's more about what the uniform represents, but I'll be the first to admit certain uniforms look really good.
In light of that, I thought I'd take a look at a few of my favorite men in uniform in M/M fiction--or any romantic fiction--and why I think they're sexy.
The Cowboy--It's no secret that a nice, cool drink of cowboy in fiction sure hits the spot for me. In fact, I have a novella, Seeing You, coming out soon from MLR Press in the Studs & Spurs anthology. (Shameless plugging, thy name is Dakota.) So what is it that makes them so...yummy? Aside from the wranglers that always seem to fit like a second skin and hug their--well, you get the picture. Hopefully. (If not, take a gander at the Studs & Spurs cover. Hoo-boy.) For me, though, it's more about the affinity they have for nature and the animals they make their living with. It's the sense of independence and quiet strength they have, a man and his horse holding onto a way of life evocative of years gone by and the romantic ideals associated with them. The cowboy lives a simple life, bound to the land, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who is taken by the idea of a solitary man finding companionship and love--and let's be honest, orgasms--out on the trail. Or the barn loft. Or the stables. Oh yeah.
The Doctor--Mmmm. Scrubs. Easy to remove and...Oh yeah. *clears throat* I think for me it's about the intelligence--always a very sexy thing--and the dedication it takes to become a doctor. The training takes years and is very rigorous, and there is something so attractive about a man who goes through that because he wants to heal and save lives. There's a certain nobility about it all. Doctors also work very hard, so it's nice to see them relax and *ahem* relieve tension when they get home to their honey.
The Military Man--Another one of my favorites, and although ACUs are pretty darn hot, it's definitely more about the men wearing them. Courage, strength, dedication, loyalty. The willingness to die defending their country. What's not admirable or attractive about that? Let's not forget the level of fitness required to perform their jobs, which brings to mind hot, hard, sweating...um, yeah. *fans face* Oh and let's definitely not forget how very, well, homoerotic military training and situations can be. Guys living together in high stress situations and only finding their best buddies around for some tension relief. *fans faster* But maybe that's just me. Either way, the military man is definitely one of the sexier men in uniform in m/m fiction.
Of course, these aren't the only men in uniform I find to be really attractive and sexy in fiction. Some others easily come to mind: The cop. The firefighter. The...postman. No? Heh. I'm just checking to make sure you're still paying attention. But I think it depends on the individual readers what kind of uniform and job they love the best for their men in romantic fiction.
So what man in uniform appeals to you the most?
You can find out more about Dakota Flint and her writing either at her blog,
You can find out more about Dakota Flint and her writing either at her blog,
19 comments:
Oh, holy cow my beloved, I'm all about the firefighter... *takes a moment to clutch pearls*
There is nothing more compelling than a firefighter, all grimy in his bunker coat, bringing a wounded animal (or a person) away from a deadly blaze. That's not just dead sexy, in fact, it's noble, but then, noble men are hot.
I think the most recent picture I saw was a volunteer firefighter giving bottled water to a koala during the recent (and terrible) fires in Australia.
FIrefighters seem to symbolize it all for me, they do battle, they serve, they heal, and they have to understand nature in a special way. Fire itself is kind of erotic and symbolic and... mmmn. firefighters...
D~Did you ever read Neurotica by Sue Margolis? There is a side-splittingly funny erotic scene between the heroine and her date: the doctor. O.M.G.
Anywho. Doctor? CHECK! There is definitely a D/s overtone in the uniform/civilian pairing. Or is that me?
I don't know, Dakota. Those postmen baring their legs in the summertime can certainly please my eye. All that walking makes for well-developed calves and thighs. And don't forget the UPS and FedEx man for same reason.
For me, though, it's the policeman. Seems that no matter what color combination they wear, they always make me feel just a bit inferior... in a GOOD WAY! Like I can relax knowing there's a strong man nearby to serve and protect me.
Let's hear it for insurance underwriters!
(Uh...why is it so quiet in here?)
Hey ZAM!Yes, I agree firefighters are pretty darn smokin hot. Uh. No pun intended. Heh.
And yeah, I think it's the whole noble men art hot. Or should I say HAWT? ;)
I think your next project should involve Mr. Firefighter...
Oh for me it's the military man -- whatever the service or country. Those dress whites, that camouflage gear and those caps, hats, berets....yummy!
Hey LB! Thanks for stopping by!
I've never read Neurotica...I'll definitely have to give it a look-see. I sure do love doctors. (Not that I'm biased or anything b/c of my own honey.)
And no, I don't think it's just you. Though I tend to think it has more of an overtone with, say, the military man or the cop.
Ha! See Jardonn, that's what I've been saying. Give it a chance, and the mailman--how slashable is that--may drive you just as crazy as he does your, er, dog. Uh. Male-man, indeed. ;)
And I'd make a bawdy joke about cops, protection, and serving, but I don't want you all to think I'm just a one trick pony. *g*
Hey KZ!
And ya know, insurance underwriters almost made my list. Something about the way they assess risk....Hoo-boy. Really gets my heart pounding. *g*
Thanks for dropping by!
Hey Jeanne! And oh yes, the military man. Mmmmm. Really does it for me. As you could maybe--possibly--tell from my post. *g* I'm actually in the planning stages of a new WiP involving a military man and...yum!
Thanks again for inviting me to blog. I really appreciate it! :)
I gotta jump in on this because who doesn't love a man in uniform! I know I do.
There is something inherently romantic about cowboys. It's not just the hat and the horse and the tight jeans, although of course those are part of it. You're right - it's what those things represent. Dedication, hard work, independence, and a certain affinity for the rougher things in life. It gets even better when you get to juxtapose those things against ideals of a gentler, more sensual kind. Maybe that doesn't really have as much to do with the uniform as it does with the (stereotypical cowboy) man. Plus, cowboys get associated with Spanish guitars and campfire songs and that's just cool.
My co-author, Bethany Brown, sort of accidentally included a cop when we were writing the second book in our Lost Boys and Love Letters series... and then we had to go back and add him in some more because we didn't want to let him go. He is a dedicated, hardworking, looking-out-for-the-little guy hottie. (Mind you, Patrick doesn't appear in uniform too often.) With cops and firemen, I think the lure is the self-sacrificing aspect. Not that I don't think a good formal police dress uniform is hot, because they clearly are - but it's the commitment to the greater public good that makes them interesting as well as sexy. Once more, I think that the incorporation of something a little atypical with the policemen/firefighters - some kind of vulnerability - makes them that much more accessible and sympathetic to readers, more three-dimensional as characters, and a hell of a lot more fun to write.
When I think of men in uniform a scene from the movie "Philadelphia pops into my head. It's at the party Tom Hanks is hosting and he and Antonio Banderas, playing his boyfriend Miguel, are dressed in dress whites. They dance and kiss each other so sweetly...sigh...
but then Antonio banderas dressed or undressed in anything turns me on!
Men with uniforms are like Lay's Potato Chips...no one can eat just one.
Ethan
Hey Ashlyn!
I think you're right about the self-sacrificing part. Definitely. Men who show commitment to certain ideals, who dedicate themselves to doing good are so very attractive.
Thanks for stopping by to comment. :)
Jeanne--I don't think I've ever seen it. I'll have to put it on my TBW list. Antonio Banderas...talk about yummy!
Ethan...
lOLLOlol
Laughing so hard I can't type.
Hey Ethan!
So once you pop, you just can't stop...is that it? Ha, I do like the way you think.
Thanks for coming out to play. :)
Well, I don't think it's any secret to those that were over at ZAM's yahoo group this weekend where my heart lies. There is just something about ACU bottoms, t-shirt and boots that does it for me :D Is that a surprise that I married a military guy?
Thanks so much for blogging, Dakota and thanks everyone for dropping by.
I knew those guys in uniforms would draw folks out!
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