Men pressured for perfection
High school student stressing about having bigger muscles. “40 percent of boys in middle school and high school said they regularly exercised with the goal of increasing muscle mass.” Examples like this show that girls are not the only ones who face insecurities. Photo courtesty of public domain.
October 27, 2016
When we think about the pressure of having the perfect body, we always think about the pressure that girls face, but what about boys? In the news we always hear about girls going to extremes like starving themselves, only drinking liquids, and body shaming themselves to achieve the society’s ideal body image. However, I have never seen any stories on the news about boys being pressured to meet society’s high expectations.
Pediatricians are recently shedding light on the issue that boys are going through in order to achieve that perfect body. A New York Times article states that boys are taking unhealthy measures to achieve a ‘Charles Atlas’ body. Whether it be experimenting with illegal steroids, weightlifting everyday of the week or taking supplements, boys are willing to pay the hefty price in order to get bigger, faster.
This got me wondering. Do boys mostly face pressure from society or do they face pressure from fellow peers who are bigger or stronger than them? An anonymous student from Lugo commented on the issue stating “Not only do I feel pressure from seeing a guy bigger than myself, but I feel pressure from girls too.”
He further stated that he does not feel pressure to have the perfect body from girls specifically, but in order to be recognized from girls he feels like he has to have the “ideal” body type. This should be an eye opener for both genders. It shows us that not one specific gender is facing body image pressures, they both are.
After interviewing a girl on the subject I noticed something that both genders face. Not only do they face the pressures from society, but they both fear that if they “do not look a certain way then they will not be recognized by the opposite gender.” So both genders feel the same way?
Ironic huh? I’m hoping that society as a whole can unite together and show each other that we do not have to cave into peer pressure, but we can be unique and help each other gain the confidence that it seems we so desperately need. I feel that society has brainwashed the younger generations into believing that they have to look a certain way in order to be accepted.
It scares me how our society is rapidly becoming more narrow minded on issues pertaining to body images. I feel that boys are facing tremendous amounts of pressure to look like celebrities who have the six pack, the sculpted arms, or the jaw chiseled from stone. Why are we not promoting originality?
Nolan Fernandes • Nov 14, 2016 at 1:07 PM
I relate to this story so much because as a male living in this society i am constantly pressured and judged by my appearance and honestly sometimes i just can’t take it. I can’t imagine how others go through this day to day like celebrities who are looked up to as iconic figures. As far as i am concerned i am grateful.
Mariah Marquez • Oct 28, 2016 at 9:07 AM
I think this story is great in that sometimes men don’t always have a voice when it comes to something like body image. However, they deserve to be heard too. This story shows the purpose of journalism.
Micheal Everman • Oct 27, 2016 at 1:37 PM
Its so true, its great because it brings to light the body shaming in male life, its sad that we have a feeling in our hearts that we have to look a certain way or act a certain way, or hell, even love certain people. society is screwed up.