The himbo as a male beauty stereotype is changing as the world evolves

The himbo, the male version of the bimbo, could help smash certain masculine stereotypes. Photo: AFP

It only took one photo of Ryan Gosling as Ken to resurrect the himbo from his ashes, like a phoenix with a waxed and well-oiled chest.

A male version of the bimbo – revered more for his physical attributes than his intellectual qualities – the himbo is an amalgamation of stereotypes of all kinds, which nevertheless seek to deconstruct the many cliches that typically surround masculinity.