Men of all ages and sizes struggle with body image. But it’s not something we talk about regularly. Studies show that we are more likely than women to consider ourselves underweight, we focus on getting more muscle tone, and we have negative associations with bodies that fall short of that masculine ideal. One study found that men linked being fat with “weakness of will,” while being lean and muscular with “feelings of confidence and power in social situations.”
..It’s been especially bad since leaving college, possibly because of the insecurity that comes with new friends, new living arrangements and living in a new town…
Why don’t we talk about this more? According to mental health experts, it may be that we have a harder time expressing insecurities. But it’s also an unfortunate truth that communicating openly about body concerns still carries a stigma.
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In an effort to show that men indeed have body insecurities and that it’s nothing to be ashamed of, the Huffington Post photographed 19 men in their 20s to 60s, without their shirts, and asked them to speak candidly about their body hang-ups. Here’s what we learned:
1. MOST OF THE GUYS ARE INSECURE ABOUT THEIR BODIES.
“I don’t like sitting down with my torso hunched over my legs – it makes me feel gross the way my stomach reaches over my belt. Similarly, if I have my shirt off, I try to stay lying down or reclined so that my torso is elongated. I also flex my arms and abs almost constantly. The soreness and tension from working out makes me feel better.”
“I typically feel like no one can tell I have a belly when my shirt is on, so I feel like I’m exposing a secret when my shirt comes off. I don’t remember a moment in my life when I felt totally comfortable with my body. It’s been especially bad since leaving college, possibly because of the insecurity that comes with new friends, new living arrangements and living in a new town.”
“I feel like I’ve disappointed my body. In high school, it was, ‘I’m so skinny, I need to bulk up,’ but now it’s, ‘I’m still so skinny, but I have a belly.’ My insecurities have doubled in that sense. ”
“When I take my shirt off in public, I am extremely aware of my body. It feels unnatural to be shirtless. I feel as though all eyes are on me and no one is liking what they see. I’m 6’4” on the outside and 5’4” on the inside.”
