Physil, Behavral, and Psychologil Tras of Gay Men Intifyg as Bears - PMC

Contents:

• HOW BODY IALS SHAPE THE HEALTH OF GAY MEN
• GAY MEN AND BODY PERFECTN
• MCULARY AND THE GAY IAL: BODY DISSATISFACTN AND DISORRED EATG HOMOSEXUAL MEN
• PHYSIL, BEHAVRAL, AND PSYCHOLOGIL TRAS OF GAY MEN INTIFYG AS BEARS
• SEND HUNTER BIN IRS WHISTLEBLOWER INTIFIED AS GAY DEMOCRAT

HOW BODY IALS SHAPE THE HEALTH OF GAY MEN

‘I am bombard wh liftyl, athetics and bodi that gay men are prsured and expected to emulate to be attractive, worthy and happy. Gay men currently receive ltle rearch attentn when to health issu such as eatg disorrs and other body image ncerns. Yet expectatns are high for gay men, as the wtern ial mascule body is mcular and fat ee.

Evince also dit that there are unique ncerns for LGBTQ people relatg to nutrn and oby, and that tailored programs n improve overall health out for gay men. Our rearch shows that social mands placed upon gay men to eat healthily and achieve a perfect body are lked to anxiety and prsn and have ser mental health nsequenc.

GAY MEN AND BODY PERFECTN

In our study, rried out at Dalhoie Universy, gay men explored how culture fluenc the way they thk about food and their bodi through a procs lled Photovoice—an arts-based rearch methodology which participants subm their own photographs.

Ne self-intified gay men photographed var aspects of their liv relatg to their experienc wh food, body image and health. In this rearch, participants viewed food as a way to socialize and nnect wh other gay men. They also found to be a source of strs, as they try to live up to ialized body standards wh gay culture.

For this participant, this scene highlights the need for gay men to be "as th as humanly possible. But gay men also need to be strong wh highly toned bodi.

MCULARY AND THE GAY IAL: BODY DISSATISFACTN AND DISORRED EATG HOMOSEXUAL MEN

Participants talked about the immense prsur to showse mcular bodi on social media, such as Facebook, Instagram and gay datg apps.

The health nsequenc for gay men of not livg up to body ials have been prevly intified and clu disorred eatg, avoidance of sex, stigma, rejectn and isolatn. How body ials shape the health of gay men (2019, January 7).

But is also leavg many gay men feelg anx about their bodi. The gay media reprents bety and sirabily the form of youth and gym-toned bodi, makg the gay scene a harsh place for people who do not nform to such ials. There is a high prevalence of psychologil distrs related to body image amongst gay men.

PHYSIL, BEHAVRAL, AND PSYCHOLOGIL TRAS OF GAY MEN INTIFYG AS BEARS

Many gay men go to the gym every day. We ually associate eatg disorrs wh women but is mon wh gay men too (and creasgly wh heterosexual men). Some gay men suffer om what we ll "mcle distrs.

This distrs go unnoticed bee is socially sirable to have the perfect body the gay scene. Many gay men velop harsh and cril thoughts about how they look, and n seem like an impossible battle to w. I see gay men whose strict liftyle has ma them miserable and they n’t fd a way towards ntentment for themselv.

SEND HUNTER BIN IRS WHISTLEBLOWER INTIFIED AS GAY DEMOCRAT

Whilst the gay media perpetuat body perfectn and helps mata the distrs, the unrlyg disturbance that mak so many gay men predisposed to the stggl is homophobia. In my practice, I see many gay men whose real stggle is the fear of rejectn, the hypervigilance of threats makg vulnerabily tolerable for them.

Gay men may not be able to intify the unrlyg pa by themselv but gay-affirmative therapy, they n have a space to unpack the var layers of their disturbanc. For example, gay men often have memori of beg bullied at school so beg "big wh mcl" is a way to unter that pa.

Mculary and the gay ial: body dissatisfactn and disorred eatg homosexual men. The prent study vtigated body ncerns a muny sample of 52 homosexual men, as well as two parison groups prisg 51 heterosexual men and 55 heterosexual women.