Male Body Image
is a-changingThe male body image is undergoing some drastic changes. Changes that are leading to men becoming progressively more concerned not just about their health, but about their physical appearance. It's also leading towards more men dieting than ever before. It's not difficult to see why these changes are taking place. It has to do with the changing cultural ideas men are being exposed to and what is portrayed as the ideal body shape and size by the media. Culturally there is a never-ending culturally sanctioned body revolution. Let's take a look at how the depiction of male body image has changed over time. A Historical perspective on
male body imageIf we follow important milestones in standards for male beauty, we see that in the: 1960’s: gym chains began. By the 1990's 'working' out was a big thing along with exercise bulimia, and in the case of men, the more common Adonix Complex (Bigorexia). 1970’s: penile-lengthening cosmetic surgery was performed, Playgirl magazine was launched, Stallone’s movie ‘Rocky’ was a hit and the Chippendales hit the scene 1980’s: Schwarzenegger as Conan the Barbarian and Stallone as Rambo became hero’s, Calvin Klein begins underwear and cologne campaigns aimed at men, the Body Shop launches a range of male cosmetics, penile-widening surgery is introduced and Men’s fitness and Men’s Health magazines were published. 1990’s: it’s obvious that advertisements, movies, and magazines feature progressively more shirtless and muscular men and computer games and toys for boys feature enormously bulked up figurines, and there are vastly more body-building products found on our shelves. Photo-shopping the male image to become even bulkier becomes the norm. 2000's: The metrasexual male spawns entire new product ranges. Fashion for men, male body and beauty products are endorsed by sportsmen and other male role models. Creating products to help improve a negative body image is a growing body. In previous years male body image was less important because how men valued themselves was by different criteria: their career, their status and their earnings. But since women have entered the workplace and started competing with men for top positions, the new arena for men to compete and value themselves is in the body beautiful stakes. Male Body Image
and the metrasexual male In line with this… ideas that men shouldn’t care about their physical appearance are a thing of the past. In previous generations, while it was unacceptable for women to be fat, it used to be acceptable for a man to stand around the barberque with a beer belly hanging out – but no more! In the past only women and 'sissy' men used beauty and body products. But with the advent of the metrasexual male, male role models like Andre Agassi use skincare, fragrances and so on and a whole new industry of beauty products for men has sprung up around this change. The new menspeak Lean and muscle-mean are in. What stands out is that what used to be ‘women-talk’ is now part of ‘menspeak’. Listen in at the gym and it’s not uncommon to hear these types of conversations. Conversations about men dieting. • I constantly think I’m overweight and not toned enough.
• I look in the mirror and don’t like what I see.
• I cycle between eating hardly anything and exercising like crazy and then the scales tip and I can’t eat enough of what I haven’t allowed myself to.
• I hit the gym every day and I worry because I just don’t seem to have all the willpower this takes.
The only surprise is that the conversation is not taking place between women, but men.
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