A gender question about our society

Question

so there are a lot of efforts that educate and prevent girls from being consumed by all the media images telling that 'skinny is beautiful' that skinny is hot, etc. I know this has got with eating disorders, depression and stuff in girls. But consider this, what about the guys? do the images in ads have fat, s****. guys on it? heck no...they have all this ripped, 6-pack, tanned guys on it. So why there's no effort to combat this? why there are only efforts for girls telling that they are beautiful as they are? what about girls glorifying all the 'muscles' and 'nice abs'? so girls don't have to sweat or to care about their appearance and yet guys have to do it? as you can see tons and tons of guys are going to the gym working out to their death to conform with those media images. so why no masculinist who does this? better yet, are feminists happy and smiling to this fact? is this some sort of hypocrisy or tricks that society plays on itself?

Answer 1

I think the media is harder on women than they are on men.

It seems that 9 out of 10 women that are successful in the media are beautiful and skinny. When it comes to men, the emphasis of them looking good vs. talent is slim. A guy doesn't get a lead role in a movie because he's cut, but more because he has credit of being a good actor, while the lead female usually always has to be beautiful.

Answer 2

Women are under more pressure, and fat guys are more accepted by their peers.  A fat slob can sit around a criticize a woman for not being perfect, and won't get any S**t about it.  It's expected, even.

Answer 3

Men should strive to be strong but in moderation. They shouldn't try to be like Arnold Shrortzenager. They should work out for strength not looks.

Answer 4

I agree, it is so one sided, I feel so bad for my sons there are so many groups and stuff for girls which I think is great but what about are boys we need to do the same for them! Great question!

Answer 5

Well, look, whether anyone wants to hear this or not: women are suckers. We are born with curves and boobies, which separates us from men. I am not saying there is no pressure on men - but really now, how many more magazines and ads are there with thin, busty women on them than there are with clean-cut men? A LOT.

Yes, many guys are working out a lot and everything, but how many do you on a daily basis hear about having an eating disorder? It's just the way things played out. It's not that there are no insecure men who don't have eating disorders...it's just not as common to hear about. And, the media doesn't make such a huge deal about a male celebrity's beer belly, than they do about a women with a tad bit of cellulite. Get what I mean?

No one likes being told they're ugly, or fat - but the ideal has become so far-fetched and sickly that it's almost impossible to be 105 pounds and feel 'thin' (trust me I KNOW people who weigh that much and think they're fat). There should be more "plus-sized" people with average bodies on covers of magazines and on tv...that way other people can relate. When little girls idolize a model, they want to be like them...and as they get older, maybe they wonder why they were born into the body they were.

It all depends on the individual, not the gender as a whole.

Answer 6

Women, on the whole, receive more pressure for their appearance.  Movies where the chubby, unemployed loser gets the hot girl abound, but there aren't so many where the fat girl gets the male model.  Additionally, a not-so-good-looking guy can improve his chances with good looking girls by having a great career or personality, but it doesn't work as well the other way around.  Lastly, most products in the beauty industry are marketed towards women.

But I agree that something should be done for the men.  I don't think a 'you are beautiful just the way you are' campaign would be effective with young boys, but maybe do something in the media, like highlighting the diversity of women's preferences for men.  Some of us find the gym rat physique kind of scary, and would much prefer someone who looks natural, and from what I've noticed, men think women find a muscular body more attractive than women actually do.

Answer 7

Yeah I've thought about this before to and I have to agree.

As females, men can appreciate women who are not friggin toned as h**l; many appreciate women with curves and who are voluptuous..

There isn't such thing as a voluptuous male... they have a beer belly or they're chubby/fat.