FROM THE EDITOR.

Finding the sex appeal in others… and yourself.

What makes someone sexy? It sounds like a pretty easy questions to answer but the more you think about it, the harder it gets to define. Try it for yourself. Start by thinking about the people you, personally, find sexually attractive. The chances are they aren’t models, actors or athletes, or people with symmetrical features, gym-honed bodies or traditional good looks. It’s probably people you know in your daily life – your partner, that friend of a friend, the guy at the gym. Now, can you define what it is that makes him attractive to you?

If you’re anything like me, it could be someone “unconventionally” attractive. For example, there’s a particular AFL player I think is extremely hot, but not many people share my high opinion of this guy. My partner refers to him as my “other boyfriend”. If only!

Similarly, my partner goes weak for a particular news reader. On one occasion I tried to discuss a news report he’d just delivered and my partner said, “Oh, I wasn’t listening to his words, I was just watching his lips.”

I can see, objectively, that he’s handsome, but he just doesn’t flick any switches for me.

So, sexual attractiveness really is in the eye of the beholder. Luckily, at DNA, we have a website and a substantial social media following that allows us to tell by Likes and Clicks who is pleasing our readers and who isn’t. And this is incredibly useful when it come to this time of year – compiling The Sexiest Men Alive issue.

In this issue you’ll find a few famous faces, but you’ll also find a florist, a lawyer, a flight attendant… people you might meet any day and think, “Alright!”

One of the features in this issue is A Few Good Men. Photographer Christian Scott introduces us to some men he’s shot over the years. Christian says sex appeal is more than just skin deep and that revealing a man’s character creates the best pictures.

“Jeans come off in about 10 seconds. Exposing yourself emotionally is far more difficult then exposing yourself physically. True emotions and feelings take longer to reveal,” he says.

Having worked with Christian over the years on DNA shoots, I can vouch for this. There have been occasions when we’ve had men in the studio who are physically stunning but, when photographed, they don’t look great. Then there are the guys who don’t look immediately striking in real life, but when photographed something about them works in camera and they look amazing.

Christian’s story this issue is about men whose life experiences, their determination to reach a goal or overcome an obstacle, or their resilience in the face of adversity adds to their attractiveness.

Now I want you to think about what makes you attractive to others. Is it your abs, or is it your smile, your laugh, your smarts or your shared history with someone special? It’s most likely a combination of many things, some tangible, others less so. Celebrate those things, own them and be proud of them.

Every month, I’m surprised by James Franklin’s column, Interview With A Porn Star. When we first discussed this becoming a regular feature, I was adamant that I wanted it to be about more than just making porn. Porn stars are just like everyone – they have funny anecdotes in their history, they have political opinions, they have joys and fears – as well as their unique perspective on being in the sex industry.

This month, it’s Alex Mecum and he’s as fascinating as the previous porn stars have all been and well worth a read. I hope he surprises you, too.

I also want to draw attention to Cameron McCool’s My Best Sex Move column. This month it’s Beyond Missionary which, like last month’s Revive A Dead Sex Life, will add some spice to your life. You can also send questions, feedback or your real-life sex experiences to Cameron.

I hope you enjoy our Sexiest Men Alive issue and the sexy men in your life. Thanks for reading.

Jeans come off in about 10 seconds. Exposing yourself emotionally is far more difficult…