Around the world, women body image and the controversy on the way it is portrayed in the media has been discussed for years. Many people have lost sight on the fact that a lot of men have problems accepting their appearance due to the standards set through the media as well. Body image is the way one see’s and appreciates their body and the skin they’re in. Although it is more common, body image issues are not limited to only women, they’re just usually more willing to acknowledge and speak on their body image issues than Men.

Men are usually raised and taught by society what I like to call the “ Man up factor”, where they hold back on speaking on their emotions and insecurities. Whereas women are taught to be gentle and more in tune with their emotions. One big difference in Body image between the two genders, most women tend to want to be slimmer, where men tend to want more muscles. Young males growing up who flip through these fitness magazines start developing the mentality that, that’s what a man is supposed to look like, this big hunky superman. This mentality becomes an obsession, and in tons of cases becomes very dangerous.

After running through dozens of magazines, these teenage boys, even men start to develop a negative Body Image, and just like women try to think of fast ways that could help them attain the body they would like. Women usually turning to dieting or binge eating, men turn to steroids. Although Steroids help, many young men are blind to the fact of there numerous side effects, just to name a few; the weakening of bones and ligaments, acne, high blood pressure, Insomnia, and mood swings.

Body image is all up to the way you see and love yourself. If someone is not happy with themselves, it is scary the types of measures they’ll take in order to get to this unattainable goal they’ve set. Truth is, if someone has Body image issues whether they’re a man or woman, they will never truly be happy until they learn to accept themselves. Now there’s nothing wrong with one wanting to be a healthier version of themselves, as long as the measures being taken to obtain that goal are also healthy.

Works Cited

Bennington, Vanessa. “Male Body Image and the Pressure to Use Steroids.” Breaking Muscle. Breaking Muscle Manifesto, n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2015.