Men have body issues. It’s time we talked about them.
Are you a man or boy that has had or is currently having body image issues?
Are you a man that has had such issues since long before the relatively recent stories that say men are “now starting” to feel the pressure many women have felt about their bodies?
Are you a man or boy whose fat has caused major damage to your self esteem, confidence, or has altered your life in a major way?
Are you a man or boy who is teased or harassed for not having a “real man’s body” because of your ethnicity or heritage?
Are you a man or boy who worries your physical disabilities disqualify you from being considered a “real man?”
Are you a friend or loved one of a man or boy who takes his desire to have more muscles to the point of unhealthy obsession?
Are you a mental health professional who works with men and boys who have problems with their body image?
For a long time these have been questions that were considered off limits. As men and boys we could be on the verge of burning out, going over the edge, and just plain shutting down over these issues but were largely left unable to speak up because “men don’t open up about their pain.” I think it’s high time that changed.
Let us create a place where we can talk about men and boys and our bodies in a way that doesn’t seem to happen very often.
Email your submissions on men and body image to Danny at [email protected] by Saturday, May 19 for consideration. See our submission guidelines for more information.
—Photo credit: Unlisted Sightings/Flickr