Oh, I so agree with this! The pre-packaged Insta-perfect Barbie and Ken sorts of characters are kind of boring. Lots of things make people hot and interesting - not just having perfect bodies and unlimited bank accounts. I'd much rather read about the sexiness of somebody's crooked smile, or the erotic properties of a scar than about plastic people. To me, that's not escapism - it's buying into consumer culture in a way that is ultimately destructive.

As I said in my story from a while back, What Makes An Erotic Story Work, "There’s nothing wrong with conventionally attractive, well-endowed characters, but for me, that isn’t primarily what makes someone sexy. Unless the story is particularly about the hugeness of the guy’s dick, that’s not something that I feel the need to add in to his description. It isn’t what makes a man a good lover and for the most part, that isn’t what is going to bring a woman to orgasm all on its own. Besides, part of crafting an interesting story is to talk about something a little bit unexpected."