The look of “the ideal man” is changing. Is this a good thing?
This article originally appeared on BuzzFeed.
It has become increasingly prevalent in entertainment, media, and advertising in recent years to focus on the beauty of the “ideal” male form. Although studies have shown that women continue to report higher numbers in regards to negative body image, the percentage of men admitting to body dissatisfaction is, shockingly, growing at a much faster rate.
Between BuzzFeed Video and producer Eugene Lee Yang’s Facebook pages we received thousands of responses from international viewers, which served as the basis for a portion of our findings.
We also conducted our own independent study and asked for personal insight from the most important authority on men’s relationships with beauty and fashion: you.
1) USA
• “Hottest” male celebrities (as determined by our Facebook audience’s responses and online popularity): Chris Evans, Channing Tatum, Chris Pratt
• Internationally, white celebrities from America were the most cited out of any country when discussing foreign influence on the male beauty ideal.
• A study from San Francisco State University found that where women struggle with media pressure to be thin, men face media pressure to be muscular.
• An American ideal male body type has a broad upper body, including shoulders, biceps, and pectoral muscles. “V-shaped” seems to be a key term.
• In recent years, the bearded, plaid-shirt-wearing look has become so popular among American (read: white) men that they have earned the nickname “lumbersexual.”
• According to the 2015 Hollywood Diversity Report, 83.3% of all lead actors in films released in 2013 were white.
• Since People magazine began naming an annual Sexiest Man Alive, only one nonwhite man has won the title: Denzel Washington, in 1996.
• The U.S. and Canada account for 9% of the global men’s skin care industry.
• According to market data firm Euromonitor International, American spending on men’s grooming products has increased from $2.4 billion in 1997 to $4.8 billion in 2009.
• According to market research firm Mintel, the U.S. market for men’s personal care products earned $4.1 billion in 2014.
2) Nigeria
• “Hottest” male celebrities: D’banj, David Agbodiji, Iyanya
• The Nigerian entertainment industry, or Nollywood, is hugely influential in West Africa and produces the second highest number of films per year in the world after India’s Bollywood.
• Nigerian male music stars in particular are idolized by teenagers.
• Traditional Nigerian culture views sturdiness and strength as the male body ideal.
• A small study from the University of Nigeria published in 2007 found that Nigerians in their early twenties viewed masculinity as “culturally superior” to femininity.
• Those surveyed said that important elements of masculinity in Nigerian culture include physical strength, bravery, protectiveness, assertiveness, virility, and lack of emotion.
3) Brazil
• “Hottest” male celebrities: Rodrigo Santoro, Bruno Gagliasso, Cauã Reymond
• Brazil is considered one of the most diverse societies in the world. According to the 2010 Brazilian census, 47.7% of the population identifies as white, 7.6% of the population identifies as black, and 43.1% identifies as mixed race.
• There is a large disparity between the rich and the poor in Brazil. White men are considered to be more important than black men, and having straight, fair hair is part of their ideal of beauty.
• “Germanic features” combined with a tan are thought of as an aspect of Brazil’s idea of beauty in both men and women.
• Men’s grooming and beauty products are seen as a growing market in Brazil.
• Cosmetic surgery for men is becoming normalized in Brazil.
• Many Facebook replies from Brazil focused on men’s bodies, in particular the appeal of being muscular.
4) Italy
• “Hottest” male celebrities: Raoul Bova, Claudio Marchisio, Giulio Berruti
• Italy is widely considered the pinnacle of men’s fashion.
• Italian men are accustomed to wearing well-tailored suits and clothing. Styles like loafers without socks and pocket squares are common. Graphic tees are not.
• Italian men are generally not afraid to wear color, even colors that are traditionally considered feminine, like pinks and purples.
• “Sprezzatura,” meaning to have an air of studied nonchalance, is a quality often associated with ideal male attractiveness.
• Italian men are comfortable with grooming, including shaping their eyebrows.
• Western Europe comprises of 21% of men’s skin care sales worldwide.
For the rest of the male beauty reader survey, go here.
We also gathered information from professional publications, entertainment, and social media to determine: how have popular culture and media shaped our views on ideal male beauty? Countries represented are the United States, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, Nigeria, Turkey, Italy, the U.K., India, South Korea, the Philippines, and Australia. We also asked our readers
For this and other BuzzFeed videos, go here.