The truth about Robert Irwin’s magazine cover exposed

Since his latest magazine cover, the internet has been gushing about Robert Irwin’s handsome appearance, but it also reveals a lot about what is considered ‘hot’ in 2022.

OPINION

Robert ‘Bob’ Irwin is now a heart-throb. His Stellar cover has gone viral pretty much everywhere on the internet, and everyone is gushing about how handsome he is. Physically it’s easy to understand why. I mean, he looks like the youngest Hemsworth brother, but the hysteria surrounding Irwin also reveals a lot about what is considered ‘hot’ in 2022.

ROBERT IRWIN OH MY GOD I have been in love w this man for YEARS pic.twitter.com/wPmdRFKEIG

— tessa ❥ (@grapejuicehues) July 3, 2022

You see, in the early 2000s, we demanded very little from our heart-throbs; Zac Efron literally just had to stand there and look pretty for everyone to lose their collective minds. Did I know about his politics? Absolutely not. Did I care? No. Similarly, The Jonas Brothers revealed nothing about their opinions, nor did Justin Bieber and even our own Hemsworths; yes, all three of them remained apolitical. Did I know Chris Hemsworth’s thoughts on Scott Morrison? No.

@timoney.lamplugh

@Robert Irwin I’m shooting my shot here🤍🤍 #robertirwin#crikey#fyp

♬ Angeleyes (Sped Up Version) - tuna (SVT HOT)

In fairness to these very attractive men, no one was asking them those questions. The general temperature was that they didn’t need to be political, a change maker or progressive. Those weren’t the ingredients needed for a famous man to become a sex symbol or teen idol. In fact, if anything ambiguous was better, it meant we could all project our own fantasies onto them. But there’s been a very interesting shift. Now the men that are considered worth making thirsty TikToks about aren’t just handsome; they have substance.

Harry Styles isn’t just known for being gorgeous. He’s known for being kind, politically progressive and an advocate for the LGBTQI+ community. It’s not enough just to be gorgeous; you need to be living gorgeously. The men becoming the ‘moment’ are willing to share their beliefs and opinions.

How the public is used to seeing Robert Irwin. Picture: Supplied

@tommywadesmith0

We stan an LGBTQ+ ally. Thanks for the best night Harry Styles! #harrystyles#wembley#lgbtq

♬ original sound - Tommy Wade-Smith

Being a golden boy has become about much more than just looks. Hence the fanfare surrounding the youngest Irwin. He is an animal activist and conservationist who believes in creating a better world and is actually helping create it. He has the credentials to back up his good looks, and it is why he is now being so widely celebrated and, let’s face it: lusted after.

Women aren’t just looking for a good view; they are looking for men that share their views. Maybe this obsession just says so much about our times. Women’s rights are being taken away. We want the men we fantasise about to also be on our side.

Of course, this change in what makes men’ hot’ has also stopped men from becoming the next big thing. Nick Kyrgios is handsome but hasn’t gotten pin-up boy status due to his many tantrums on the court. You, see? Women just expect more from men these days. Good cheekbones won’t just get you into sex symbol status. Hence, Chris Pratt lost his ‘sexy’ status after problematic views became public knowledge. (He is a member of a church that is infamously discriminative against LGBTQI+ people.) Meanwhile, Irwin hasn’t even had to take his shirt off to win over pretty much all Australian women. He helps animals. Who can resist?

Steve Irwin with Robert as a baby

Teen girls now don’t just want men to look pretty; they want men to stand for something. Gone are the days of men hitting sex symbol status without the substance to back it up. If you want the kind of unwavering support that Bob Irwin gets, you’ll need not just to look good but to be doing something good. Fan girls of famous men expect these men to be exemplary in their appearance and beliefs.

I find this shift completely heartwarming. Women are demanding and expecting more from men these days, even their pin-up boys must have substance, and I am here for it. It means the right kind of men are getting the platform they deserve, and we can drool all over them with a clear conscious.