¡We can no longer be a bunch of empty minds living in critical times refusing to recognize real lies!

Wednesday, 14 September 2011

¿MAN + MUSCLES = SEXY?



Bulging biceps, ripped abs, and a chiseled chest @ one time these were the sexy attributes reserved for underwear advertisements. Now that hyper-masculine vision of a well-defined body is used to sell everything from beer to body wash, and that marketing has made an imprint on society's vision of what is considered "hot."

Indeed, for many people, the ideal male body is defined by the size and definition of a man’s muscles. Some could argue that this attitude was popularized by gay male culture, which has always placed high value on a person's face, fashion and physique. While there's no easy way to prove that point—though we secretly adore the conspiracy theory-vibe to the whole concept— it does raise a very important question: What kind of message is this sending to young gay boys?

Body image issues have often been spotlighted in women, both young and old alike, who are seeking to emulate the models and actresses they see on magazine covers or in TV shows and movies, but with men being more sexualized in the media, could the equation of "man + muscles = sexy" be hurting gay teen boys as well?

2 comments:

  1. Unfortunately, many same gender loving young people are also experiencing self-image/self-esteem issues. The idea that the pumped and primed is the perfect prototype of masculinity only hurts the already fragile individual. This usually leads to destructive behaviors and we all know where that takes us.

    This media manipulation needs to be put in proper perspective and the place to begin is with the promoters of such nonsense. Hold the marketing staff at any business accountable for any message they deliver. They all can be reached via electronic tools and it only takes a minute (literally). Once they realize that they are being judged, they are responsive.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ROGER: WHEN I WAS A YOUNG[ER] GAY MAN, I REMEMBER AN OLDER GUY SAYING TO ME THAT I BETTER HOLD ONTO MY LOOKS AND BODY BECAUSE ONE DAY I WOULD LOOSE THEM. NEEDLESS TO SAY I WAS MORTIFIED! NOW THAT I AM OLDER & I'VE LOST IT JUST LIKE HE SAID, I FEEL BETTER ABOUT MYSELF BECAUSE I HAVE A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD & MY BODY. I JUST NEED TO GET MY FAT ASS IN GEAR & HIT THE GYM MORE OFTEN THAN I DO.

    ReplyDelete

THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOICE...

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails