The Silent Epidemic of Male Body Image Struggles

Bigorexia is growin

OP types fat

Men have always cared about their looks and society has always pressured men to meet certain masculine ideals. It's just that most studies heavily focus on women and women only while leaving men totally ignored.

[QUOTE]OP types fat

I’m a man, and you can’t silence me.

It’s also that common dudes today can attain buff, muscular jacked bods in a way it was unattainable in the past. Now, gyms are everywhere, and supplements are reasonably priced and available. Of course, social media has given the male aesthetics movement unprecedented prominence and influence.

Tell me about it, R5. You can’t throw a stone on social media without hitting someone like this dude:

"Bigorexia is growin"

I see what you did there.

Yeah, that Derek Martin guy's body is jaw-dropping -- and he's published hundreds of videos to prove it. Too bad about the tattoos.

Homosexual men made muscles popular in BC Greece.

There wasn't bigorexia in those days though; it was just an ideal of masculinity and, of course, sexual male beauty.

You have to sacrifice to be beautiful, it's always been that way.

(Not so) stealth IG troll thread.

[QUOTE](Not so) stealth IG troll thread.

I posted one guy to show an example of what we’re talking about here. Big friggin whoop!

More than his body is Derek'smassive cock that's giving him the popularity... among gay viewers.

There's more cultural pressure on women's appearance.

It's not an epidemic.

It's a revolution that is HEALTHIER than the American status quo, which is overweightedness, obesity and WORSE HEALTH PROBLEMS than even steroids.

So steroids are good now? THIS is healthy?

Are you saying under all those muscles he's suffering inside? R18

So hot bro

What health problems can these guys expect in 30 years?

Who knows bro

What can Datalounge, and the gay community at large, do about this silent epidemic???

When I was younger I was constantly looking in mirrors. My apartment had prominent mirrors in every room. When I was at a bar I would frequently take bathroom breaks just to check myself out. Some of my friends made fun of me but didn't care - it was harmless.

But now I'm older most of the mirrors are gone. After I get ready in the morning I don't pay much attention.

[quote]What can Datalounge, and the gay community at large, do about this silent epidemic ?

Maybe a vigil on Santa Monica Blvd in Los Angeles. Everyone carry signs and wear dark clothing.

^^ Hollywood not LA

Not all men who work out suffer fron body dysmorphia or bigorexia. There's a point where physical exercise is immediately aassociated with negative things. Almost as if people were trying to discourage men from looking a little better than others.

"A recent study conducted by professors at the University of Hawaii found that 20-40 percent of men are dissatisfied with their physical appearance."

I'm sure an equivalent study would show 95-99% of women are dissatisfied with their physical appearance.

Steroid queens are sociopaths.

People who don’t work out often say that

I think they all look horrible. I'd honestly much rather have a man that exercised his brain than his body.

Not me

Thoughts and prayers for these poor dysmorphic homosexuals. I would be glad to act as a mentor and help walk them through this rough patch. I am setting up Anti-dysmorphic clinics in all major cities and am accepting applications for franchises. Please come be a part of our dysmorphic team. No special training needed - just a good attitude and a willingness to work hard. You will be working one-on-one with our wonderful clients - and fringe benefits often available !!

Please Google: "Dysmorphia R Us" for full details and have a dysmorphic positive day !!

I just received a question regarding "references." At "Dysmorphia R Us" we like to look for the good in everyone and we don't believe in references. NO No no ... references are not for us !! The only requirement you need for this wonderful opportunity is an application fee and monthly franchise fees (payable in cash).

Full details are on our website. Set up your franchise operation in any way that brings out your inner Anti-dysmorphia.

Do you accept female assistants?

Do you have the application fee? If so we can always work out the details ... and have an Anti-dysmorphic positive day !!

More muscle!

I really hate the way I look. My face is average looking but my body is horrible overall. I'm short and skinny to the point where I can still buy certain things in youth sized clothing. I do work out but it seems that no matter what I try I can't bulk up, I can get a bit toned if I put tons of effort in but that's it. My shoulders and chest are narrow so I don't even have a normal body shape to start with. I can't afford to juice so sometimes I try and hide it by wearing bulkier clothes or layers. I think some of those insta guys are way too muscled, but my body isn't any better, it's not attractive imo and I look terrible naked.

Bump

Muscle matters

Whoomp whoomp.

I think it is OK if you want to work out to improve your looks and health, but you need to realise there is nothing wrong with you looking the way you look now. I hink it is vital that you love yourself the way you are, that way you won't be a slave to aesthetics and you will have a healthy psychology. R41

Yeah

[QUOTE]I think it is vital that you love yourself the way you are, that way you won't be a slave to aesthetics and you will have a healthy psychology.

Exactly. You don’t want to end up like this guy, who’s clearly juicing:

It looks like he kind of photoshops himself... R47

Just wow bro

[QUOTE]Muscle matters.

I find it hard to believe that the guy in R6 would be any worse for wear if he didn’t lift weights to such an extreme degree.

Interesting

I love it

Those steroid guys with the zits all over their shoulders and backs - so gross

So hot

The epidemic of overweight and obese Americans is FAR WORSE, FAR MORE WIDESPREAD, and FAR DEADLIER.

I'd much rather have dysmorphia than diabetes, heart attack, etc.

Men, suddenly feeling insecure about their bodies? Undesirable? Unattractive?

Oh, boo-hoo.

More hot bros !

[quote]More than his body is Derek'smassive cock that's giving him the popularity... among gay viewers.

Where can I see evidence of that? His vids are amazing, but I don't think I've noticed him bulging in any of them.

Bump

King

Karma is a bitch--they finally know how we have felt for millions of years

Bumpn

Learning to love yourself is the greatest glub glub.

Dudes love the physique attention

Threads like this are some combo of this:

1. "No one appreciates how much men suffer" 2. "Men with good bodies are all on some kind of drug" 3. "Men with good bodies are all secretly gay because women only like money, not bodies" 4. "I don't like a man with a body like that. I prefer __________" 5. "I'm hot and let me tell you how terrible it is."

True bro

Psychology of lifting

I do believe this is a real thing, but at the same time it makes me smile to myself because growing up as a young kid in the 1970s, people in general including young men didn't generally belong and go en masse to gyms to work out and grow big muscles, albeit maybe difficult for many younger folks today to believe that. If a guy belonged to a muscle gym in those days, generally he was either a bodybuilding sport fanatic or on one of the high school or college sports teams. Sure, there were naturally muscular guys, but in those days it more reflected guys who were athletic and liked sports.

And yet these Insta-divas baring everything or almost on their social media are the same ones who will squeal like nellies and towel-dance dress in their gyms' locker rooms fearing that any other guys around them might inadvertently see them naked. lol

Message

Mental

Social worker the scourge of society.

Edit… Social media is the scourge of society.

I've lost 15 lbs in the past 6 weeks and have to admit when I look in the mirror, I like what I see. Hoping I can lose another 15 and get to my ideal weight.

R77, I love it. So many hotties showing off

Congrats r78. Awesome bro!

I'm a self-diagnosed body dysmorphic and have always been this way. I remember when I was 8 years old finding ways to get out of attending my friend's pool parties to avoid taking my shirt off. It carries to this day in one way or another---no matter how often people tell me how attractive I am, I just can't believe it;. I only see a skinny, pale, wimp (I'm 6'3", 240 lbs, and have a decent body)

So many guys are addicted to the fans, fame, and money they make off of being ripped and swole. Men’s aesthetics is very Lucrative now

Gosh R82 sure has his finger on the pulse of internet culture in 2012.

Physiques matter

I can't relate, I've always been incredibly sexy ,and I'm only getting better with age

Hehe

Good bodies are dime a dozen. With the right guide, anyone can achieve hotness in 6 months.

R41, do you live in NYC? I go to Ageless Mens Health to get treatment for low testosterone. Takes about six weeks for the injections to build up, but I’ve go way more muscle now than I did when I started. Check them out; I’m happy.

Nice

I'm very average looking. That's why I got into guns. The great equalizer.

True

I'm shocked that such a large percentage of men love the way they look. I think it's quite an accomplishment to be able to stand in front of a mirror naked and be like "great, I'm happy with this". I thought it was normal to be dissatisfied and to want constant physical improvements.

That kind of extreme body sculpting isn't healthy.

A large and growing men suffer from body image insecurity, which is fueling the supplement industry

Nothing against good looking guys showing their bodies, but if it is based on insecurity then it isn’t good.

Aesthetics bros love being complimented for their physiques

Except i feel like if R96 complimented them, they'd call the cops.

Naw son

A positive epidemic

Working out to improve your appearance and be healthy is great. Taking steroids, obsessively guzzling protein shakes, bcaa's, pre and post workout supplements of questionable safety, and micro-managing your nutrition to the point where you freak out that you accidentally went over a certain number of carb grams in a day is not a healthy lifestyle.

And for any juicers who don't already know.....steroid use in your 20s is a known contributor to serious heart disease and heart attacks sometimes as early as 40.

Aesthetics matter

Dominance

Incredible

Haven't women been struggling with this sort of thing ....like........forever.

These guys will have such hormone and thyroid problems in their 30s and 40s due to all the steroid use now. I looked up one WBFF guy I followed back around 2012–as big as a house today. Bloated and fat.

How old is the boy at R103? 16? Blech.

Biceps matter bro

It’s about social media clout and being amongst the club of the elite with hot physiques people drool over

Only 20-40%? They should look into the epidemic of male delusion instead.

Jaw dropping

Obsession

Beautiful

Don’t do it bro

Facethetics

Guys are acknowledging they love male compliments

Aesthetics

Sumit

goddammit what is with you people who insist on spamming these threads with endless IG/Tiktok vids?

Since we still have many movies where ugly shlubs date and bed sizzling hot women, I don't think this is a serious problem, OP.

I’m so for this trend

R117, you should add Sumit to the Hot East Indian Dudes thread.

R118, if you FF every one of their stupid Instagram and Tiktok spam posts, they will be denied the karma enjoyment of their labors.

Instagram idiots don't understand that many of us cannot see these posts because we don't kiss up to Zuckerberg.

R122, so? You’ve opted out of wildly popular social media, unlike most people in the world today. We’re not gonna cramp our style because you’re odd.

Gimme them good old days when all I needed was a view of William Bendix's ass to pop one out right in my knickerboxers.

Good obsession

“Silent epidemic….”

Lol

🧐 tragic

Indeed tragic. It brings tears to my eyes.

More evidence of this phenomena please. I’m not convinced yet

The men on Instagram aren’t real.

They’ve been photoshopped, lightened in specific way, body turned to pretend there is no waist fat, and on and on and on.

There’s a reason why Hollywood stars look buffed for movies but get fat between films—keeping that up is nearly impossible

Hot

The rapid rise of narcissism.

I need a grant to study this serious issue in the field

If only they were silent about it.

I love it! It’s the Halcyon Days for lovers of hot, buff dudes who are exhibitionists.

It’s absolutely true.

Men have the same exact issues women do.

Women eat tissue, men take steroids, women do beauty pageants, men do body building shows, women starve themselves to look skinny, men dehydrate themselves to look more fit, etc etc.

The big difference is fat women are being socially accepted and fat men are not.

A lot of straight men want to fuck fat women, straight women don’t want to fuck fat men. You can see this in gay men because there are gay men who want to fuck chubs and bears.

So fat straight men are stuck and suffer. If you’re not funny or play up being a clown, it’s probably really hard. A lot of fat men know they have to lose weight whereas fat woman are more “accept me for who I am and if not you’re fatphobic and I’m a victim”.

The double standards are endless.

R119 what movies? I know “Knocked Up” but she was drunk that night and hated him in the morning.

[quote] straight women don’t want to fuck fat men

Recent COVID threads suggest differently. One fat fuck after another and they’re ALL married.

Of course, the women are usually fat-asses too, so it evens out. Now, a fat guy who expects to fuck a supermodel had better have a yacht parked out back.

The biggest image related issue straight men have is height. We have buff pocket gays and gays are more overall preoccupied with acting masc than being tall. Straight women will never admit that they discriminate against short men. They will say they like personality or whatever, but they like tall guys with money.

R136 if a straight guy is fat he can get laid if he makes more than 100k a year.

[quote] These guys will have such hormone and thyroid problems in their 30s and 40s due to all the steroid use now. I looked up one WBFF guy I followed back around 2012–as big as a house today. Bloated and fat.

R88 again. Those guys will just go for hormone supplements as they get older and not miss a step.

[quote] And for any juicers who don't already know.....steroid use in your 20s is a known contributor to serious heart disease and heart attacks sometimes as early as 40.

Seriously? Were you thinking about 40 when you were 22/23? I certainly wasn’t.

Women eat tissue?

Male beauty standards

Stronger

Personally, as long as they're purdy to look at, I don't really care if it's driven by body image struggles.

That's sounding like a YOU problem, rather than a ME problem.

Anime influence

Fear of being skinny

I find these sort of articles really odd. A quick trip to any local mall will show you that young people are pudgier than ever - both male and female. There's little indication that they are they are struggling to be perfect, despite what these articles say. I think they are written with urban people in mind. The further you get away from the cities the bigger the kids (and parents) become.

Where I live, there are plenty of flexing, bulging fitness bros, thankfully

Urge

Why are the TikTok and Instahos posts gone?

I just naming a price it's not allowed on those sites.

Depression

Dudes love the attention from other men

Gym culture allows dudes to openly admire male aesthetics and physiques while retaining their masculinity and manliness

The only reason I look in a mirror is to see if there's a good-looking man visible in it behind me.

I KNOW what I look like.

What an epidemic

It's interesting because, while I absolutely agree that an unhealthy obsession with muscle and fitness has taken over the gay male community, at the same time that community is much more open about the diversity of possible sexual attraction than the straights. The phenomenon of young fit guys liking 'daddies' twenty years or more older, and advertising for them on hookup profiles, is now so common as to be nearly normalised, while there's a strong bear subculture too. Straight men might have MILFs and BBWs, but those interests are still much more fringe in straight dating culture as far as I can see.

Damn damn damn

Beautiful

Be fit, be healthy, but please, develop other skills and interests.

Body obsession is narcissistic.

Muscles matter

Self confidence

Bump

The gay community hasn't been obsessed with muscles since about 1995. Where have you bitches been hiding? The ideal body has veered btw thin and boyish to a sort of "coach dad" slightly overweight but masc look but almost never lands on super-jacked perfect body guy.

There isn't a broadly popular male anything who boasts a super-jacked body. Not even Channing Tatum (who isn't a thing any more) was THAT worked out. He was always a bit doughy.

Camera camera 📸

R3, because women are under way more pressure to look good

R157, for every guy looking for a daddy there are 500 looking for barely legal guys

R139, the preference works in reverse...women don't want to date short men but men also don't want to date women who are taller than themselves

R136 is making things up. Fat women are LESS accepted than fat men. Just look at all the threads attacking Chrissy Metz here. Women have to look good to attract straight men, straight men only have to be rich. Women are way less likely to care about their partner's weight than men. And the idea that gay men are all into bears is bullshit. A disproportionately large number of men with eating disorders are gay or bi

It’s about power

Depression

[quote]And the idea that gay men are all into bears is bullshit

Some must be, otherwise there'd be no Bear Week.

Who in 2022 thinks all gay men are into bears? sure, there remains a subculture that is into bears, but the dominant, popular look today is embodied by ultrabuff fitness models

Wait, I thought the TRANSTAPO had taken over the gay community and forced us all at gunpoint to fuck chicks with dicks?

Oh! Maybe you're saying only the secret REBEL GAYS are into ultrabuff muscle fitness models?

Actually I like hot FTMs, no penises please

Dang

For all the modern talk of "body issues" in both men and women, I've certainly not seen it in real life outside of New York and LA. Fatasses EVERYWHERE these days.

Hottt

Followers and likes depend on buffness

Men are embracing a new objectification. Finally…

Social media made men into physique obsessed bros

Fame

Delts too small

What we have created

Is it really silent?

Hehe

I love seeing this in my gym

JPG

Bae

[quote]It’s also that common dudes today can attain buff, muscular jacked bods in a way it was unattainable in the past. Now, gyms are everywhere, and supplements are reasonably priced and available. Of course, social media has given the male aesthetics movement unprecedented prominence

But why do they want to? It's very bad that this has become the standard men have to attain to be considered "in shape" or attractive. I basically grew up in the 70s when slender was attractive. It was a lot easier to attain and maintain. Bodybuilders were considered fringe types.

By the way, isn't this a thread about male body image struggles, not a thread to drool over bodybuilders?

Beautiful

It's so weird that you shut-ins think that only jacked gym bros can get laid.

R191

[quote]By the way, isn't this a thread about male body image struggles, not a thread to drool over bodybuilders?

The “my type bro” troll can’t help itself.

So confident

It's a little sad that the "my type bro" troll's type doesn't know he exists.

So hot

The hotter the dude, the more comfortable with male attention he usual is

If this really was a big fad, there wouldn't be so many fatties. Beyond the pics, these threads are as dumb as the Russian bot ones.

R199 you must live in a nonhot guy area

I live in the middle of NYC and there are plenty of non-hot guys. Magazine trend pieces do not reality make.

Body Dysmorphia

Most straight men after a certain age do not give a shit about their looks especially if they are in a relationship and married with kids. I do think more young guys are vain than before because of social media and wannabe influencer culture. But ultimately, women judge a man for more than his looks when making the decision. Good looks can help you get laid but won't help in a serious relationship. Incels don't seem to grasp that you need to have social skills and confidence not just a muscular body. If you are dumb, ignorant fucker with an ugly butterface and six-pack abs. It's not going to be that helpful with women. Gay men are always going to be more self-conscious and vain about their looks throughout their lives because men are visually-oriented when it comes to attraction.

Gym is Therapy

Kind of losers?

PMPH: It's no wonder so many young people have body issues. They take Instagram at face value, not realising how heavily manipulated and unnatural everything is, especially when it comes to fitness and beauty influencers.

By striving to appear "perfect" with use of sunbeds, cigarettes, drugs, and plastic surgery they're actually aging themselves prematurely and obviously damaging their health, but this all goes on behind-the-scenes so their subscribers don't see it.

There are a lot of mentally damaged men who pour all their rage and self-loathing into working out.

It's sort of a healthy (?) outlet for it. But also - you don't get to look like some of these guys look without constantly thinking "This isn't good enough."

It's a tough way to live.

Ego

Bump

Stinkfish don’t give a flying fuck about male suffering. Men are just sperm donors and ATMs to them.

They also don't give a flying fuck about their gym bodies.

Not true. See TikTok

TikTok does not show the reality of what young men are getting the most girls. It isn't the gym buffs. They are the most popular among gay men though.

TikTok reflects what young women think about buff men. See their comments and posts about popular male aesthetics bros . Do you read them?

It doesn't matter what they say ON THE WEB. Cooing over the web doesn't translate into dates or getting laid. It does with gay men, women are different. Fit men are better looking, it doesn't mean those men are more attractive to women. Wealth is better than poverty, it doesn't mean wealthy women get more men. A poor pretty girl will always have more choices than an ugly rich one.

I swear some of you live inside a Jane Austin novel.

Having a good body isn't a key to being happy.

Having a big cock isn't a key to being happy.

I know lots of happy fat people and depressed, miserable people with great arms.

Swole

Chest genetics

Dang

Aesthetics bros love the male compliments

In N Out

You can see the effects of this when DLers call normal sized guys "skinny twinks" because they aren't 'roided out a Marvel movie actor.

Bros

The Male Gaze is powerful

Therapist: gym can be a form of self harm

Brandon Starr

Legs

Sexy AF

Men work out and build muscle to impress other men. Just like how women dress up to impress other women. Young girls and horny older women like hot guys with no brains. But women in their 20s and 30s look for men who are the full package (wealth, social standing, career, brainsand hopefully good looks)

R69 point 2 partially true R140 totally true

The straight instahos have stolen the gays’ roids as the Bear thing has give a license to fatties to get laid

Bring back dysmorphia to the gays please!

There are plenty of gay and bi dudes who are gym bros too

Poor guys. You men have such a tough row to hoe. You won't be victims forever! Surely, you men can't play tortured, misunderstood *Rebel Without a Cause" victims forevermore??

The David Laid impact

Anime is a factor

I believe R234 is on to something. Animation and comics depicting super-jacked men have distorted a generation's ideas of what a human body looks like.

Fixation

Male adoration

Army

R238 That looks like one of those restroom stalker accounts on Tumblr. That’s not gay?

What an Alpha 💪🏽

Depression

Guys aspire to be aesthetic

Autographing weight belts

When my BIL was deep in his bodybuilding spiral, I used to laugh at him, because I believe it’s a shallow stupid empty hobby for vain self-absorbed idiots. He eventually came around to my way of thinking, and we both think he looks so much better now with a normal albeit fit healthy body.

You sit around and talk to your BIL about his body and his attractiveness? Gosh.

Of course dudes wanna look like this

Jockstrap

[quote]r25 What can Datalounge, and the gay community at large, do about this silent epidemic???

Maybe we could all get fatter, to show those suffering that it’s really all okay?

#MyCheesecakeMyChoice

New son. Being hot is lit

Naw son

Looks hot