Let's Teach Boys About Airbrushing

[Guest]

I accept that some younger guys do seem to be more focused on their body image nowadays. Having said that, I don't think men generally have a serious issue with their body image. Maybe it will happen but I don't see it yet. I suppose young boys can be a new source of revenue to feed the corporate machine that relies on insecurity and perceived inadequacies to satisfy it. The industry has probably done all it can to make women feel bad about their bodies to the point it has have maxed out that revenue stream? Now it's turning it's eye on men?

 

Good luck with that! We men can stroll down a street with our ass crack showing and our beer bellies hanging out and still think we're Gods gift to women. I'm not saying we can't be encouraged to buy stuff to improve our look but it's usually just that.. we buy to improve on something, not because we feel inadequate with the way we look now.

 

Maybe I'm outdated in my thinking here. The world is changing and in some ways not for the better. Do you feel inadequate about your body image... and i'm not talking penis size. :)

[piano8950 32577]

I accept that some younger guys do seem to be more focused on their body image nowadays. Having said that, I don't think men generally have a serious issue with their body image.

 

The male species have a unique problem perhaps unclear to the female kind. Our massive egos. And perhaps that is why you'll hear less men talking about this. But I can speak with somewhat authority for my generation, there is a great deal of pressure on body images.

 

- First of all, there is the penis size issue that's exist for as long as I can remember.

 

- Then the stigma on being bald.

 

- How much body hair is too much, should we go waxed chest, or natural or somewhere in between

 

- Now with companies realizing there is an untapped potential in males, they are going after us. Dressing well for men used to be wearing a good shirt and a pressed pair of pants. Now there is communities for men's fashion that go far beyond what I initially thought imaginable - http://www.reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice/. They are blunt about what is acceptable and what looks bad. Apparently, skinny jeans that were once reserved for women is now in.

 

 

I'm not against being healthy. I'm for balanced diets and active lifestyles, but there has been a push on this. I agree with the article. I don't think it's as bad of an issue that females face, but it is a problem that I've seen more of over the last few years.

[Guest webothscore]

Good thread Emily J.

 

Well, here's the thing. No matter how much we read or know that "we" have to feel good about ourselves, some men cannot help but be slightly hard on themselves, but better that than hard on others. For example, while very happy with my height to weight ratio and overall build, I am hard on myself about that extra 10-15 lbs, but, I don't mind more weight on the MA/SP. Some people are just wired that way. It's important to me that I am not hard on others. Know what I mean?

[Guest realnicehat]

Good thread Emil J.

 

Well, here's the thing. No matter how much we read or know that "we" have to feel good about ourselves, some men cannot help but be slightly hard on themselves, but better that than hard on others. For example, while very happy with my height to weight ratio and overall build, I am hard on myself about that extra 10-15 lbs, but, I don't mind more weight on the MA/SP. Some people are just wired that way. It's important to me that I am not hard on others. Know what I mean?

 

What are you trying to tell us with the subliminal messaging w.b.s.? ;)

 

I''ve always had issues with body image. I think being a chubby child/teen and having a mother who was constantly dieting played a major role. It certainly added negative connotations to being larger than the norm. And while I realize now that every kid will get teased for any number of reasons (fat, skinny, freckled, too smart, not smart enough, different clothes, rich, poor) I certainly took the taunting to heart back then.

 

I managed to slim down for my 20's and 30's and while I was much happier with how I looked I never felt completely comfortable letting others see my body.

 

Now that I am in my forties things are going all to hell :) My bad habits have caught up with me and I have put a significant amount of weight back on. While I am not thrilled with this I realize it is my own fault and I do have the power to change it. I just haven't gotten off my ass to do so.

 

It took me a long time to figure out that my body size or shape does not determine my value as a person. I'm not happy with what I see in the mirror right now but when I make the effort to change it will only be for my health and sense of accomplishment. And because my jeans hurt......

[Guest webothscore]

Nothing subliminal, I said it straight up. I too have a pant or two that hurt :)

 

What are you trying to tell us with the subliminal messaging w.b.s.? ;)

 

I''ve always had issues with body image. I think being a chubby child/teen and having a mother who was constantly dieting played a major role. It certainly added negative connotations to being larger than the norm. And while I realize now that every kid will get teased for any number of reasons (fat, skinny, freckled, too smart, not smart enough, different clothes, rich, poor) I certainly took the taunting to heart back then.

 

I managed to slim down for my 20's and 30's and while I was much happier with how I looked I never felt completely comfortable letting others see my body.

 

Now that I am in my forties things are going all to hell :) My bad habits have caught up with me and I have put a significant amount of weight back on. While I am not thrilled with this I realize it is my own fault and I do have the power to change it. I just haven't gotten off my ass to do so.

 

It took me a long time to figure out that my body size or shape does not determine my value as a person. I'm not happy with what I see in the mirror right now but when I make the effort to change it will only be for my health and sense of accomplishment. And because my jeans hurt......

[Guest *Ste***cque**]

Men may not yet have the huge pressure women have measuring up to standards of beauty but we do have measurements on our value as a person and it's usually qualified by our jobs and our bank accounts and other measures of power.

 

I for one do not want to live in a world where a guy starts asking me if his butt looks big in his skinny jeans! ;)

[Guest realnicehat]

I for one do not want to live in a world where a guy starts asking me if his butt looks big in his skinny jeans! ;)

 

I don't want to live in a world where men wear skinny jeans.....

[Danielle Jackson 465]

I think us Men prefer To see whats in the mirror than whats actually within us

[Motorbykerider 4754]

Great post Emily J.

 

I have horrible self image, but who could blame me.

At the fine young age of 15 I started growing body hair, so at the ripe old age of 50 you can imagine what it looks like now. It's an embarrassment to me and always has been and will be. When you look at every one in all forms of media, men all look like they have been blessed with hairless bodies or they have been shaved or waxed.

When was the last time you saw a UFC fighter with a hairy chest? Few and far between.

Many years have passed since Tom Selleck or Burt Reynolds were popular and considered sexy because of their hairy chests.

I guess I missed the boat, but when were hairy shoulders and backs ever popular?

Never I tell you. So this is my dilemma. If I ever do decide on meeting a SP, how can I even begin to feel comfortable with her when in my mind she's disgusted.

I know I am.

 

Thoughts?

[Guest realnicehat]

Great post Emily J.

 

I have horrible self image, but who could blame me.

At the fine young age of 15 I started growing body hair, so at the ripe old age of 50 you can imagine what it looks like now. It's an embarrassment to me and always has been and will be. When you look at every one in all forms of media, men all look like they have been blessed with hairless bodies or they have been shaved or waxed.

When was the last time you saw a UFC fighter with a hairy chest? Few and far between.

Many years have passed since Tom Selleck or Burt Reynolds were popular and considered sexy because of their hairy chests.

I guess I missed the boat, but when were hairy shoulders and backs ever popular?

Never I tell you. So this is my dilemma. If I ever do decide on meeting a SP, how can I even begin to feel comfortable with her when in my mind she's disgusted.

I know I am.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

Dude, you're a bad ass biker, you're supposed to be hairy.

 

Honestly, I'm a relatively furry guy myself and I've never had a problem with the ladies of Cerb (or elsewhere for that matter).

 

Having read a bunch of your posts you seem like a fun, easy going guy. If you're like that in person you're probably what a lot of these ladies would consider to be an ideal client. They really don't care what you look like as long as you are clean and respectful.