This is a comment by Scott on the post “Gay Men, Their Bodies, and Eating Disorders: Revisited“.
Unsaid is how homophobia has played a key role in this trend for gay men. Stigmatized gay culture leads many young men and men uncomfortable with “gayness” tend to identify internally with sex first before ever identifying with anything not “straight-acting.”
When one’s whole identity and value as a person is formed in a mainstream culture that rewards sex and sexual attractiveness but stigmatizes gay men as stereotypes — of course gay men are going to internalize body issues and do everything they can to be as physically attractive as possible.
It’s who we are raised to be.
Photo credit: Flickr / greggoconnell
“When one’s whole identity and value as a person is formed in a mainstream culture that rewards sex and sexual attractiveness but stigmatizes gay men as stereotypes — of course gay men are going to internalize body issues and do everything they can to be as physically attractive as possible.”
Thank heavens I don’t do stereo! P^)