Saw this on Postsecret and wanted to share it with you.

Lots of attention on girls and their body issues but guys have 'em too. Thoughts?

I so agree about having emotion/self esteem issues because I do not have smooth set of 8pack or 6pack abs.

Society only shows male bodies like the above as the perfect body.

hmmmmm...

A

Shaun,

Though small in comparison to the female research - there are studies that show a significant percentage of men feel the pressure to look like this. To feel thinner, more muscled or shaped a certain way.

Eating Disorders, body dismorphic disorder and so on are more prevalent than is believed by many. I have wrestled with body issues since before my assault but that event sent that into orbit.

More studies, assistance and resources are needed for men to get the help they need.

I've had problems with body image as well. Rather than pitting men's body image issues against the ones identified by women, though, I think we should seek common ground and learn from the progress they have already made.

I saw this postcard on PostSecret this Sunday as well. There is a large and growing base of Male Body Image research that shows how this is trending up in Adolescent males. This is also a big issue for gay men where how one looks can singularly define your place in the social and dating order. Here is a sample of the images that both straight and gay men get in the media about how men need to look. This is an example of what turns up in the gay media world as the ideal. A tough act to follow, huh?



There is also a bump in awareness for men in the 45-50 range that is considered part of "male menopause". I'm right in that bracket and considering that one of the side effects from the SSRIs I had been taking (apart from not sleeping, apnea, snoring, tiredness, yawning, etc.) is weight gain (10, no make that 11lbs) there is extra pressure to arrest it ASAP.

My goals are to me the healthiest version of me I can be, not to try and attain what the media tells me is ideal. Like we can all be Jon Hamm. Sheesh.

Really worth reading.

-efm

*

The above is the only way to be for a gay man to survive.

I disagree. I do better than survive and I don't look like that. Why do you think you can't do the same?

-efm

efm,

Your question is to me, right? The men who have the perfect body are the ones being held and played with - being touched - being loved. This is why I say this.

You posted the pic as a sign of perfection.

efm,

Thanks for posting the link. I think it is a topic worth a lot of research, prevention and treatment. I have had students who were young men who struggled with it and found it frustrating to find resources for them besides those of a general kind.

learning2remember, I do agree that we can learn from the general principles of female based research in these areas. But people like to deal with things that identify them. Having the word "male" in an article once or twice that is six pages long is a bit disconcerting for me. I would like to read more male based research with our unique perspectives. True there are commonalities but there are still dinstinct attributes to males with eating disorders.