The sexism of men’s body dissatisfaction accounts

Abstract

In this commentary I critically reflect on five discourses I have observed whilst working within the field of men’s body dissatisfaction between 2011 and 2018. I have observed these in empirical work on men’s body dissatisfaction, media coverage and participants’ own accounts in qualitative research I have conducted. I argue these discourses are sexist and identify them as: (1) Men Are The Real Beauty Victims; (2) Women Should Stop Obsessing; (3) Superficial Women; (4) Mothers Are Body Shamers; and (5) Feminism Forces Muscles On Men. I conclude that these discourses further post-feminism, where women’s gains are seen as men’s losses, and neoliberalism, where blame is placed at the individual’s (or woman’s) feet. As an alternative, I outline the feminist approach that recognises the widespread cultural commodification of the body as driving body dissatisfaction.