“We always believe that body shaming is significantly associated with women and rarely with men. But for years, men have also been silent victims of body shaming in society. From the professional athlete to the commoner, body shaming can happen to anyone. Some celebrities were brutally shamed while on vacation at the beach! And teens are being plagued by gynecomastia, commonly known as man boobs, leading to mental health problems”, he tells ET Panache, saying that this problem is definitely on the rise.
“And we have to take it seriously before it hampers the mental health of many”, he shares. Here are some of the ways she suggests dealing with male body shame.
show emotion
Men are innately considered to be the strongest. They are always expected to calm their emotions. When we say to our boys: “Stop crying. Cheer up!” we ask you to hide your emotions completely. The same goes for male body shaming. It is not easy for any individual, male or female, to be criticized for the color, shape or size of their body. So why aren’t men being vocal about these issues? Well, men are always considered rough and tough.
Expressing what they feel about their bodies or body insecurities makes them seem less masculine. In fact, there’s nothing wrong with having better health goals, like a strong core or biceps. But toxicity occurs when people stop accepting others and themselves for who they are and shift their focus from creating healthy habits and behaviors to achieving something unrealistic.
Dr. Joseph Thomas, medical director of Medlounges, is a body positive enthusiast.
Seek guidance and help
Man boobs or gynecomastia, a hormonal condition in which a man develops enlarged breasts like a woman, is a common problem faced by men and for which they are terribly ashamed of their body. One needs to understand that no one has any control over such matters. It is purely hormonal and needs medical intervention. Likewise, being skinny, bald, having very little body hair, worrying about the size of one’s genitalia, etc., can seem like first world problems. But deep down, these issues can have the worst impact on self-esteem and mental health.
Realize what is under your control
Negative body image can develop from pressures caused by environmental factors such as family, peers, and social networks. Gynecomastia and baldness are cases of body image problems imparted by hormonal and genetic factors; that is beyond one’s control.
These body image issues can be treated or resolved to some extent through medical science. Doctors try to find the root cause and treat it with various modern treatment procedures. There are non-surgical, cosmetic surgical and minimally invasive solutions available in the field of body image treatment. Through a physical exam and diagnostic tests, X-rays, and scans, a doctor will identify the cause of the condition.
Talk loud
Society plays an important role in shaping our thoughts. To get past this hot topic, we need to be more open about it. Whether it’s male or female body shaming; let’s stop tolerating them as random first world problems. Understanding that we are all unique in our own way and the same applies to our bodies certainly helps. It’s time we celebrate authenticity, inclusivity, and body positivity. It’s time we started talking about it.
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