There’s lots of talk about female body image but what about guys?
We are all bombarded with images of perfect bodies, be it on Instagram, Facebook, television, movies, magazines… you name it. These ridiculous standards apply for guys as well as girls these days. In fact, more guys than ever are unhappy with their bodies. It is a growing problem right now and is having lasting effects on our mental and emotional wellbeing…
Despite being satisfied with their attractiveness overall, most of the men surveyed in our research reported being unsatisfied with the shape and size of their muscles. When asked what they would change about themselves, almost half said ‘weight or body shape.’
On top of this, according to Ditch the Label research, lots of people have some funny ideas about what is and is not considered to be a manly body type. So, we’re gonna clear some things up so that we can rest easy in our bodies!
Here are 12 things that you might not have known about your body, tell your friends, bros, dads, uncles and grandpas…
What you need to know about your body:
1. Boys get eating disorders too. 25% of boys will experience an eating disorder such as Bulimia or Anorexia.
2. It’s ok for your partner to be taller than you. Loads of guys are concerned about their height, especially if their partner is taller than them.
3. It’s ok for your partner to be stronger than you too! How much you can bench press really isn’t a quality most people think about when looking for love!
4. Not all guys who are fit, are muscly. Fitness and being healthy doesn’t necessarily mean big muscles! Check out this article on The Link Between Masculinity and Health.
5. Different people like different people. Just because some people swoon over Tom Hardy, doesn’t mean we all have to look like him!
6. Weight has nothing to do with masculinity! Different people have different metabolisms and retain fat and muscle at varying rates.
7. Losing Hair. 40% of men will experience hair loss of varying degrees by the age of 35. It’s completely normal and shouldn’t be something to be ashamed of.
8. Having hair. Beards and chest hair are sometimes falsely associated with masculinity…
9. Most sexual partners do not care about the size of your junk! This is a big one for male insecurity (no pun intended 😂). If they like you, then they probably won’t care about the size of your equipment!
10. There are different male body types.
11. Men are edited/airbrushed too – pics of men in the media are not a reflection of reality, in the same way that pictures of women in the media are not realistic either! The super greased up, muscle man on the front cover of that magazine is not a true representation of most men’s bodies. You are not expected to look like that!
12. Other men worry about this stuff too. No matter how alone you feel when worrying about your height, weight or body shape, you’re not alone. Most people have insecurities about their bodies but no one is talking about it. Time to open up, join our community and start that conversation now!
If any of the topics in this article affect you, speak to one of our digital mentors here who can help you embrace the body you’re in! We think you’re great as you are! 😉
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