The 'gay diet' | Food | The Guardian

Contents:

• THE REAL REASON GAY MEN DON'T GET FAT
• IF YOU’RE A GAY MAN, YOU’RE PROBABLY GOG ABOUT WEIGHT LOSS ALL WRONG
• GAY MEN MORE AT RISK OF EATG DISORRS, BUT FDG COMMUNY CAN BE HARD
• THE 'GAY DIET'
• GAY MEN AND BODY PERFECTN
• WHY BODY IMAGE ISSU PERVA THE GAY COMMUNY

THE REAL REASON GAY MEN DON'T GET FAT

New York gay about town and Barneys creative director Simon Doonan jt sold a mancript for a diet book lled Gay Men Don't Get Fat. While this is te, the real reason why gay men don't get fat might not be the most marketable msage. The book is supposedly, "a stylishly slimmg disurse that prov gay men really ARE French women: prone to disda, favorg cheeky unrwear, nvced of their own artistic brilliance, and (of urse) lorie-obssed.

IF YOU’RE A GAY MAN, YOU’RE PROBABLY GOG ABOUT WEIGHT LOSS ALL WRONG

The advice as to why gay men don't get fat isn't as is only one thg that keeps gay men shape: fear. Y, every gay—at least those of the stereotypil abdomal-obssed physique that populat Fire Island and Palm Sprgs—is brought about bee gay men are aaid that they will be alone for the rt of their liv.

GAY MEN MORE AT RISK OF EATG DISORRS, BUT FDG COMMUNY CAN BE HARD

If a gay man is not "servg body" while petg to fd a trick or boyiend one of the more mcle-bound climat of gay culture, he will be sorely shut out. That is why gay men don't get fat, bee if they don't have pecs, guns, and glut, they're gog home men, unlike their straight unterparts, don't have the luxury to stay "fightg shape" jt long enough to fd a partner before lettg their bodi fall to sh afterwords. No, gay men have to get buff, get married, and stay buff.

I'm gog to let you on a ltle secret: There are untls mted gay upl out there who like to eher play on the si or ve gut stars to their beds. Y, gay men go to the gym to stay petive, but sce the man-eatg marathon don't end after marriage, they jt keep on petg and petg until ath do they funny thg about the gay petn is that, bee men (pecially of the gay variety) are so visually stimulated, the only piece on the chs board that matters is havg that tradnal lean body. But for gay men, only body will do.

If a gay guy is a ltle short, his solutn is to go to the gym. A good body is the only currency this also mak this unique for gay men is one of the other strange quirks of homosexualy. Gay men are attracted to, sentially, themselv.

THE 'GAY DIET'

No straight man wants to look like a woman (and certaly not the reverse) but gay men fd what they are physilly attracted to and often remake their bodi the image of their ial mate. Sce society tells to want mcle-bound athlet, that's what gays want, and that's what they make themselv look like the pursu of their ial. If you want to bed mcl you have to have mcl, if you want to land a twk, you better be a twk (or at least some other type that is easily st any gay porn movie), gay men e all shap and siz (embrace the rabow, people) but still gay culture and inography is largely domated by the same juiced-out body type (and awful tribal tattoos) that you'd fd on Jersey Shore.

GAY MEN AND BODY PERFECTN

While there are plenty of average-physiqued homosexuals (who barely mer mentng) there has been a reactn to all this body fascism over the past so many years. Y, the "bear" movement, spearhead by gay men who are hairier and chubbier than average, is forever gag steam. While they might be reversg the normal athetic ials of gay culture and Amerin culture at large, they still discrimate jt as much based on physily as their circu party-lovg is tryg to palize on those skny gay men of legend, but what erns them and erns the bear is really the same thg: fear.

Many gay men spend their adolcence as outsts or misfs, and when they fally get to a place where they n jo the gay culture at large, they react to their years of social solu by nformg wh the sort of fervor ually rerved for packs of teenage girls. Most gay men get for ee, and now, wh this book, you too n be a pariah for years, then enter a nformist culture of sual sex and glisteng bodi, followed by a lifetime of hookups wh your signifint other and the waxed dolphs you pick up on Grdr. That's the secret of how gay men don't get me, well, I'd much rather be French.

In my experience as a gay nutrnal ach and workg wh a lot of gay men as well as teractg wh 100s of gay men the muny, Many gay men are not good to their bodi when to losg weight and tryg to look sexier. I’ve seen some gay men practilly starve themselv, avoid rbs like the plague, and even live mostly on vodka, lime, and soda. ) is and no ’s not jt a matter of eatg a lot of prote and nothg else like many gay men thk.

WHY BODY IMAGE ISSU PERVA THE GAY COMMUNY

However, the diet nundm ntued as a newly out gay man, I wanted to put myself out there and look sexy. Fast forward 15 years, I’m the bt shape of my life, a proud gay man ?, married to an amazg man, and I own at least 8 speedos!

I n’t go back, but I n help other gay men get the body they dream of but a healthy and staable way. In gay culture, there are a few ma events each year that gay men want to look their bt for. The biggt is gay pri and the other on are wter vatns to plac like Mexi or a gay cise.

A few months before said events, gay men start “dietg”. In my experience, most gay men do extreme thgs like cut out all the rbs and almost starve themselv to acplish this goal.

The weight slowly back on only to be even a worse spot before the next gay event on the lendar. What’s worse, as gay men age, gets harr to lose and they start gag back more weight durg each ga cycle.