What counts as body positivity? What does it mean to be confident in your own body and self? Why are men’s body image and modern masculinity relevant? It can be agreed that body positivity is an outreach of acceptance and confidence in oneself that has evoked a larger movement that is inclusive to all body types. Body positivity’s goal is to spread awareness of common internal struggles associated with body image and normalise non-model body types and unrealistic standards.
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Although the body positivity movement largely began by women supporting women, less is discussed about men’s unrealistic body standards. While a minority of men and women push for body positivity for men, it is commonly men who push it back by sticking to traditional ideas of masculinity and men’s role in society.
Redefining masculinity for men plays a big role in their body positivity movement, as their traditional standards are outdated and unrealistic ideas that are damaging and push back nuanced ideas about body positivity and masculinity. The norms in place are restrictive and harmful to men as a whole and how they fit into society. Reconstructing both roles and body image are steps society can benefit from and is a start to being more accepting.
Challenges in Men’s Body Image Perception
A man could work out for years, training multiple muscle groups, taking, or eating the right nutrients, and never obtain their idea of a “perfect body”. Men’s body positivity compared to women’s is vastly different but has the same focus, promoting inclusive body types, mental and physical health, diversity, and self-love. The movements differ in areas of beauty and ideal image, both equally as damaging, as women commonly ideals of being skinny and youthful and men, regardless of youthfulness, to look strong/masculine and be independent.
Men who struggle with their image often feel alone and have a harder time pulling themselves out of a damaging cycle of fitness obsession, body/muscle dysmorphia, low self-esteem, and depression. Unfortunately, these symptoms of male body issues are ironic because the problematic body standards they face are so similar to the image struggles women face. As body positivity for men becomes more widespread, hopefully as a society, the harmful and strict body perceptions for both men and women become outdated and further help each other in body positivity.
A man could work out for years, training multiple muscle groups, taking or eating the right nutrients, and never obtain their idea of a “perfect body”.
Men don’t commonly find the same support online about having an average body or struggle building muscle the same as women do. Men’s support groups are not addressed as often because men struggle with the stigma of not being vulnerable and usually suppress their emotions. This is because not enough men speak out about their perfectly normal and healthy bodies or body positivity. And when men do comfortably show their normal, non-male supermodel bodies, it is ridiculed, not taken seriously, or overtaken by the number of bodybuilders and fitness influencers.
Unfortunately, the majority of men who follow the ideas of unrealistic masculinity want to fit in and they struggle to speak out first about their body image and masculinity issues due to fear of judgment, isolation, and lack of support. And frequently when male body positivity is pushed it is ridiculed or has a lack of interest as shame and embarrassment are imbedded in men and their body perceptions.
A consistent inflow of male fitness influencers, models, and actors, and their show of what a man should shape up to be is taking steps backwards for improving male body positivity and redefining masculinity. If more men who have a strong influence over not only men in society but the perception of men as a whole were honest and inclusive, it would be a step in the right direction of correcting societal standards for men and their bodies.
The Role of Media in Shaping Male Beauty Standards
Go to any male social media fitness influencer’s page and they are most likely not only promoting their fit body as ideal or perfect for men but also most likely a partnership with a fitness brand, promoting a protein-based supplement, fitness course, or their self-made brand ranging from all of the above and or that strictly supports their body image. It would not be surprising if male influencers, ranging from a successful life to a physique, lack realistic hardships and instead focus on brand deals that will “help” the audience reach that lifestyle.
Teenagers to young adults are most influenced by fitness influencers and their image projected, the fitness influencer bodies presented a lack of inclusivity in average male bodies. What would be more productive for men viewing social media would be male influencers being more realistic and honest about their lives and hardships. Showing an ideal body and life wouldn’t be so bad if it was portrayed constructively and focused on obtainable, inclusive goals.
The idea of a male fitness or life influencer shouldn’t be strict to a commonly unattainable muscular body and lifestyle. If most of these male influencers are the ones that are mainstream/popular for men, then it becomes less of influencing and more of just showing off. Possibly being the most harmful about these “influencers”, these overly muscular body types may not be obtainable at all for men with opposing genetics to big muscles/have naturally lower levels of testosterone.
Even with supplements, regular fitness & practising good health and habits, these bodies can still be unattainable. These influencers build today’s standard for men’s beauty but also their masculinity. The push for these unrealistic body types often results in men with low self-esteem and acceptance of their bodies, attractiveness, and masculinity.
Embracing Diverse Male Body Types
There are a handful of different male body types defined by a specific look and silhouette. Ectomorphs, Mesomorphs, Endomorph, Rectangle, and Triangle/Inverted Triangle are among the most common male body types.
Ectomorph is defined by a lankier, slimmer build. Often this body type has a low percentage of body fat and a fast metabolism. With a fast metabolism, it can be harder for this body type to build muscle the same as a Mesomorph or Endomorph build. Ectomorph builds can be considered awkward, but they excel in flexibility and agility, and often build muscle and their frame easier with strength and resistance training. Ectomorphs brother,
Endomorph is characterised by a rounder physique, accompanied by opposing advantages to Ectomorph. This body type is commonly strong because of its naturally thicker frame, weightlifting, swimming, and wrestling. Sports endomorph body types can excel because of their natural strength and bursts of energy. The type of training for this body type is cardio, HIIT, and HIRT, these workouts allow for stronger endurance, aid in fat loss and are quicker to recover from compared to other exercises.
Mesomorphs are in between endomorph and ectomorph, with a defining muscular frame commonly exuding their shoulders and waists. Naturally, this body type is ideal for long-distance sports involving endurance, strength/bulk, and functionality, gymnastics, and football. This body type builds muscle best with cardiovascular, strength, and endurance training.
Rectangle body types carry an athletic straight build and excel in balance and core strength, defined with shoulders that have a similar width to their hips, and narrow torso. Because this body type has distributed weight on the whole body, sports that rely on stamina and weight are ideal. Bodybuilding, rock climbing, tennis, volleyball, football, and yoga are all sports someone with a rectangle body type could excel in. Rectangle builds benefit best from a protein and complex carbs diet paired with core strengthening and resistance training exercises like leg presses, planks, and lunges.
A triangle and inverted triangle build have opposing attributes, with a triangle build having a narrow upper body and wider hips, and an inverted triangle body shape having broader shoulders and a slimmer narrower waist. Triangle body types benefit from upper body muscle training to even out their frame and build lower body muscle easily with workouts such as squats and lunges. They perform well in sports including lower body strength such as cycling, soccer and nutrition/wise lean meats and produce a diet that benefits their body the best.
Inverted triangle excel in swimming, track, and rock climbing, due to their naturally broader shoulders. Lower body exercises benefit this body type in shaping their frame more evenly and thrive athletically from a diet consisting of grains and healthy fats.
Multiple male body types exceed this list and or don’t fit into common male bodies. Body types are unique to each individual and are built by genetics, which concerns the idea that workouts aimed to be “inclusive to all body types” aren’t so clear cut and don’t account for how individual bodies store fat and build muscle differently. Understanding these different body types improves our understanding as a society of what the average male “should” look like. Furthering our understanding of different male bodies can aid in accepting more lifestyles and start to rebuild society’s idea of average male bodies.
Strategies for Boosting Male Body Confidence
There are numerous ways men can help improve their mental health while aiding in their physical health. Self-acceptance would be the start before any other mental health practices, being content and accepting yourself and your body is crucial to being accepting of others and building a healthier mindset. Self-acceptance can be built by positive affirmations, less social media use, and mindfulness of others, providing a good outlook and sensibility for yourself, and those around you.
Realistic goals and mental and physical health are crucial parts in building a healthier mindset. While health is half of fitness, it’s important to focus on overall health, not just exercise. Practising good health would consist of a balanced diet, good sleep, and regular exercise if possible. How these practices are carried out don’t have to be a strict exercise or diet, but self-paced steps are constructive to building better overall health.
Going at your own pace is best for understanding your body and its limits and building upon those limits. In addition, being surrounded by like-minded people, family, or friends is beneficial to building a non-restrictive mindset, often those who are impressionable are influenced by those around them and this can impact them negatively.
Similarly to consuming harmful media, people around you, and who are important to you, can have an equal or stronger influence in your life. While this isn’t always a negative thing and it’s healthy to ask others for advice or provide a different insight, it’s important to not let varying opinions and ideals shape your own, instead to take those opinions to construct your opinions and values.
Impact of Body Positivity on Mental Health
Most ridicule towards bodies that are not normally shown on social media, comes from viewers who might not be confident in their self-image and take their emotions out on what they see on social media. Body positivity promoted on social media is extremely relevant as social media has become an everyday outlet, spreading negative body associations and unhealthy habits is harmful because of how it can impact an impressionable audience who are already insecure about their self-image.
These negative body promotions impact viewers whether they realise it or not and ultimately negatively impact mental health and its association with self-image. These unreal standards of what a man should look like being fit or muscular also aid in the strictness of masculinity and what that looks like in men. Doubling as negative or toxic masculinity, sometimes unintentional, these standards that are pushed by men, harm men and continue to build the blocks of masculinity standards that are outdated and unrealistic.
The positive effects of embracing men’s body positivity and constructive masculinity standards are crucial to men’s mental health and breaking down harmful male bodies and self-perceptions. There is no shortage of mental benefits regarding an improved mindset about body image and self-confidence. Increased self-esteem, better/healthier relationships, social resilience such as pressure or criticism (constructive or not), a stronger focus on overall physical health, and overall satisfaction with self and life all stem from a healthier outlook on yourself and further acceptance of others.
Of course, a healthy mindset that consists of all these traits takes time and partly comes with age. There is significance in self-confidence and exercising healthy habits that benefit the mind more than the body. Improving mind and body confidence is a journey and has no limit on growing, practicing a healthy lifestyle that works for you and focusing on yourself are crucial to becoming the best you!
In conclusion, slowly redefining masculinity standards and becoming accepting of all body types are crucial to developing a healthy idea of a normal male body type and their place in society. Men adhere to strict ideals of what is considered masculine and fall under stereotypes about strength, how they exert emotions and behaviours, becoming successful and more currently, being an alpha male. These unrealistic tropes that are pushed in social media are damaging as they are outdated and further harm men’s body image, with idealised desires of wanting to reach physical perfection alongside professional perfection.
By accepting and promoting diverse male body types and healthy lifestyles, society can collectively build a new idea of what is “manly” and stop falling into harmful stereotypes of what a man should be characterised by. These steps towards a broader acceptance of men benefit individuals with their mental and physical health while learning to accept others. Ultimately redefining masculinity and constructing a broader, accepting view of men creates a world where more men can feel confident about themselves and feel more value for their authentic self[1] [2].
Outlooks for men that push the male body positivity movement are “Men’s Health Network”, providing information and sources for eating disorders, body image issues, and men’s health issues, promoting men to feel comfortable about their overall health and well-being. “The Body Positive” are for helping men and their body image issues, and are for deconstructing unrealistic body standards, with programs and resources that are available for anyone.
Additionally, books such as “The Invisible Man” by John F Morgan, “The Adonis Complex” by Harrison G Pope, Roberto Oliviardia, Katherine A Philips, and “Man Enough, Undefining My Masculinity” by Justin Baldoly, are just a few of the many books that push and aim to redefine the idea of what a man is and should look like. There are many resources for men to look into to better help themselves and ideally push body positivity in their lives, those around them, and on social media, ideally deconstructing the harmful stereotypes of masculinity and what it is to be a man.
As we conclude our exploration of body positivity and its implications for men, it’s clear that the journey toward self-acceptance and a broader definition of masculinity is vital. The challenges faced by men in navigating unrealistic beauty standards highlight the urgent need for change. By embracing diverse male body types and advocating for a more inclusive representation of masculinity, we can contribute to a healthier and more supportive society.
We encourage you to take action—engage in conversations about body positivity, challenge harmful stereotypes, and support initiatives that promote mental health and self-acceptance. Join us in redefining masculinity and fostering an environment where every individual feels valued and confident in their own skin.
Your support is crucial in driving this positive change. Visit our website, explore our resources, and consider making a donation to help us continue our mission of promoting inclusivity and self-love. Together, we can build a future where everyone, regardless of their body type, feels empowered to embrace their true selves.
Thank you for being part of this important movement. Let’s continue to push for a world where body positivity knows no bounds.
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