Is a naked John Cena just funny, or can you see more? 

Being an early member of Gen Z, my first encounter with male nudity on screen was during a random episode of the British sitcom, Mr Bean, though for a few nanoseconds only. And the exposure to female nudity, quite obviously, was during the record-shattering Hollywood flick, Titanic. 

This sums up how an entire generation has been exposed to two contrasting portrayals of naked bodies: While male nudity has often been depicted as "inherently funny," female nudity has typically been presented as objectifying women and exploiting them as sexual objects.

Of course, one may argue that James Cameron did not have any such intention. However, the mass interpretation wouldn't really align, as the audience over the years kept obsessing over Kate Winslet's full-frontal nudity, instead of focussing on the great artiste that she is. 

Fast forward to 2024, the scenario doesn't seem to have changed much. Although there has been increased awareness about the objectification of women in media, the reality remains that women are still depicted as sexual objects more often than not, whether through gratuitous nudity on screen or magazine covers, or by donning revealing attire for social media posts or on the red carpet.

And of course, male nudity too continues to be perceived as humorous in most cases. Remember Bollywood star Ranveer Singh's nude photoshoot back in 2022 which was promptly buried under a barrage of ridicules and trolls?

But the latest instance of this, that too on the grandest stage of them all, warrants not just momentary laughter, but a full-on introspection.

For the uninitiated, during the 96th Academy Awards that was televised all over the world, WWE Superstar and Hollywood superstar-wannabe John Cena appeared completely nude, using only a cardboard envelope to cover himself, and then announcing the nominees for Best Costume Design.

Needless to say, the short clips of this particular segment have taken over the internet ever since, with thousands of people taking to their social media accounts to say how amusing they all found it. 

And that's where the main problem lies. Why should male nudity depicted without any proper reason (nudity to justify the importance of costumes doesn't make any sense) be perceived funny in today's age, while the more appropriate reaction was supposed to be just discomfort? 

Simply put, it's because we're still far from eradicating our deeply ingrained patriarchal mindset. We are talking about the kind of mindset that is trained in a way that says: Men, unlike women, have agency over their body, so they can do whatever they want with it, and still remain cool. 

Additionally, male nudity also brings about a chuckle, if not disappointment, on everyone's face, because what is widely longed for is female nudity instead, and hence male nudity makes for a good parody of what is deemed more expected, or natural. 

And this leads us to two very important points. 

Firstly, it's high time we bid goodbye to women's sexual objectification in the media once and for all. 

It's a shame when we advocate for women's empowerment and gender equality, yet a mere wardrobe malfunction prompts Best Actress-winning Emma Stone to say, "Don't look at the back of my dress!" 

Evidently, she too is well aware that this uncomfortable situation is going to grab more eyeballs and views than her actual accomplishment. 

And secondly, and more importantly, we need to avoid trivialising male sexuality and related issues in pursuit of cheap reactions for the sake of men themselves.

Just a few days ago, the world observed International Women's Day, and it was common to see on every social media post addressing violence and injustice against women, someone questioning why similar issues faced by men aren't addressed in the same manner.

Here's the issue: The prevalence of toxic masculinity and its surrounding mindsets in our society is so widespread that people often don't take seriously the problems faced by men that are predominantly, and quite mistakenly, associated with only women.

For example, countless men around us experience sexual violence regularly. However, most of them are afraid to speak up because it's a proven fact that those who do are often ridiculed by other alpha males or women who admire alpha male behavior in the society.

In short, sexual violence and all other kinds of injustice against men in our society are often seen as a joke, much like male nudity on screen. The reason behind this perception is that these issues are only considered worthy of being taken "seriously" when they are linked to women.

But I believe now is the time to put an end to this trend. Instead of brushing off such matters as silly, let's delve deeper and recognise their true significance.

Only then will the surprisingly funny John Cena shtick on the Oscars stage be more meaningful than it ever thought possible.