Researchers have dubbed the 21st century the ‘century of the body’; a reflection of modern Western culture and its voyeuristic obsession.
Meanwhile, the perception of gay men has been tethered to six-packs, bulky biceps and well-toned bodies; a trend exemplified by endless images of flawless men in advertising, magazines and pornography.
Then there are the gaunt, skeletal male models that parade catwalks of Europe; an omen to the shady world of manorexia which affects one in 10 men.
For the defenders of fashion who question these extreme cases of body dissatisfaction, look no further than this year’s Spring collections and compare the shows in Paris and Milan.
Pressures of body image are more evident in the gay male community – research has confirmed social and sexual hierarchies, forming exclusive statuses from within.
Gregg Moxham works full-time in the fitness industry in Perth; he values fitness as imperative as eating and sleeping but recently found himself ‘back on the market’ since he broke up with his partner of seven years.
Initially Moxham said that health outcomes and body image were equally significant in terms of fitness.
But after speaking with him for just 10 minutes, the 42-year-old came to admit that ultimately physique trumped personality while he was ‘shopping around’ for a new partner.
‘There are some nice guys in Perth but the body image that I’m attracted to isn’t part of who they are,’ Moxham said.
Studies over the past 20 years have found direct relationships between appearance and a self-worth in gay men.
University of Ballarat researcher Matthew Condie has been canvassing gyms in Victoria and surveying men online in his research comparing body image ideals between homosexual and heterosexual men.
He said the research indicated that if a gay man was satisfied with their body, then their self-esteem and self-confidence to attract other men was likely to be higher.
‘The appearance side for gay men is important … While the same applies for straight men; the fitness side is a major component for them,’ Condie said.
‘It even starts with action figurines; (over the years) GI Joe has even gotten bigger in muscle mass.’
One of the most recognised contributors to this perception has been the media; a factor Condie said has also created expectations for gay men to live up to.
‘For example, the Playgirl centrefold has put on 12 kg of muscle mass in the past 25 years,’ said Condie.
‘If you look at (male) models in magazines over the past 20 to 30 years, you will notice definite differences in muscle mass.
‘That might be seen as a pressure for gay men to try and strive for that ideal.’
According to the plethora of research available, the drive for the body beautiful has been pushed substantially by peers; a complex gay subculture and a mainstream media laden with stereotypes.
Since 2000, DNA Magazine has successfully chronicled the male form as the leading gay publication in Australia boasting around 40,000 copies sold monthly worldwide.
Founding editor of DNA Andrew Creigh said he was very conscious of the stereotypes that his magazine could disseminate.
‘We are aware but the people who become anxious because they don’t live up to [that image] will feel like that anyway,’ Creigh said.
‘We’re giving men permission to objectify men and enjoy them.’
Body shapes throughout the decades have been stylised like fashion trends; muscles may be in vogue one season and waif the next.
‘People in the ’70s were skinny and androgynous like David Bowie,’ said Creigh.
In the ’80s, Creigh said a trend of more muscular physiques coincided with the detection and rise of HIV.
‘People wanted to distance themselves … people weren’t well if they looked gaunt and skinny.’
Creigh described the ’90s as excessive with steroid use; taking muscle development and size to new heights.
The new millennium has seen a return to a healthier representation, according to Creigh who believes we have come full circle now.
La Trobe University researcher Duane Duncan agrees with Creigh’s argument of objectification and that the body is a symbol of pride.
His PhD concentrated on body image dissatisfaction among gay men in 2008.
‘In gay subculture, the sexy male body is a symbol of pride in being openly gay – we’re celebrating our freedom to find other men sexy,’ said Duncan.
However, in Duncan’s research, he discovered men found the dominant body ideal was both empowering and frustrating.
He said this attractive and masculine discourse countered historical references of gay men as unattractive perverts but also excluded anyone who didn’t fit into this ‘Adonis’ mould.
‘Gay men have always been on the cutting edge of new marketing trends … it’s likely gay men are just at the forefront of a concern with appearance that is also enveloping heterosexual men.’
Benn Dorrington
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