Gay Male Body Image

In an article published in The Conversation, Phillip Joy states that a number of gay men are dissatisfied with their bodies, and that this dissatisfaction is associated with negative psychological outcomes, including but not limited to anxiety and depression.

Both of these statements are consistent with recent literature. In a study published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders, Russell and Keel from Harvard University reported that homosexual men are more dissatisfied with their bodies as compared to heterosexual men. In a separate study published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior, Blashill and colleagues reported that body dissatisfaction predicted symptoms of depression among homosexual men.

In response to these phenomena, Joy suggested, among other things, “increasing the portrayal of diverse bodies within media” and “engaging in social conversations that allow men to be open to the possibilities of dating others outside the narrow ideals of fit and muscular bodies.” I believe that both of these suggestions may help to increase body satisfaction (or decrease body dissatisfaction) among gay men.

Dysfunctional beliefs about our bodies cause us to be dissatisfied with them. In an article published in Body Image, Blakey and colleagues from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill reported that dysfunctional beliefs about one’s appearance (e.g., “My value as a person depends upon how I look”) was significantly associated with body dissatisfaction. Therefore, decreasing these dysfunctional beliefs should decrease gay men’s dissatisfaction with their bodies.

Increasing the portrayals of diverse bodies within the media and engaging in social conversations that allow men to be open to the possibilities of dating others outside the narrow ideals of fit and muscular bodies may decrease gay men’s dysfunctional beliefs about their bodies. For example, viewing gay men without fit and muscular bodies in satisfying romantic relationships may help to challenge the dysfunctional belief that only people with fit and muscular bodies can have satisfying romantic relationships.

A significant number of gay men are dissatisfied with their bodies. This is concerning because of its associations with negative psychological outcomes. If dysfunctional beliefs about their bodies cause gay men to be dissatisfied with them, then increasing the portrayal of diverse body types in the media might help gay men develop healthier and perhaps more compassionate relationships with their bodies.