Body talk: the role of masculinity in young men’s body image and appearance related matters

Candice Whitaker

Abstract

Government agendas have highlighted the requirement for rapid investigation into the body image related experiences of young men, yet a suggested feminisation of body and appearance related topics, and a tendency for non-disclosure, continue to present obstacles to achieving this. However, previous research has indicated that online, anonymous contexts may present useful environments for circumnavigating these barriers. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore young men’s accounts in relation to body image and appearance related issues, using an anonymous online survey. Young men (N=114) ages 16-39 (M=26) took part in a qualitative survey comprising of eight open ended questions, and data were analysed using discursively-informed thematic analysis. Results indicated that the young men welcomed the opportunity to critically engage with the topic and disclose personal body ‘worries’; also revealing that in everyday contexts, discussion is habitually inhibited by social ideals of masculinity. In addition, whilst dominant body ideals were identified as largely unobtainable, they remained significant for physical self-appraisals, and a goal to aspire to. Results are discussed in relation to the potential health implications of negotiating competing
discourses, as well as the requirement for increased male specific educational resources which challenge prevailing masculine discourses.

Original language	English
Publication status	Unpublished - Jul 2019
Externally published	Yes
Event	The 11th Biennial Conference of the International Society of Critical Health Psychology (ISCHP) - Bratislava, Slovakia Duration: 15 Jul 2019 → … https://ischp.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/ISCHP2019-Abstracts.pdf

Academic conference

Academic conference	The 11th Biennial Conference of the International Society of Critical Health Psychology (ISCHP)
Country/Territory	Slovakia
City	Bratislava
Period	15/07/19 → …
Internet address	https://ischp.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/ISCHP2019-Abstracts.pdf

Cite this

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title = "Body talk: the role of masculinity in young men{\textquoteright}s body image and appearance related matters",

abstract = "Government agendas have highlighted the requirement for rapid investigation into the body image related experiences of young men, yet a suggested feminisation of body and appearance related topics, and a tendency for non-disclosure, continue to present obstacles to achieving this. However, previous research has indicated that online, anonymous contexts may present useful environments for circumnavigating these barriers. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore young men{\textquoteright}s accounts in relation to body image and appearance related issues, using an anonymous online survey. Young men (N=114) ages 16-39 (M=26) took part in a qualitative survey comprising of eight open ended questions, and data were analysed using discursively-informed thematic analysis. Results indicated that the young men welcomed the opportunity to critically engage with the topic and disclose personal body {\textquoteleft}worries{\textquoteright}; also revealing that in everyday contexts, discussion is habitually inhibited by social ideals of masculinity. In addition, whilst dominant body ideals were identified as largely unobtainable, they remained significant for physical self-appraisals, and a goal to aspire to. Results are discussed in relation to the potential health implications of negotiating competingdiscourses, as well as the requirement for increased male specific educational resources which challenge prevailing masculine discourses.",

author = "Candice Whitaker",

year = "2019",

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language = "English",

note = "The 11th Biennial Conference of the International Society of Critical Health Psychology (ISCHP) ; Conference date: 15-07-2019",

url = "https://ischp.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/ISCHP2019-Abstracts.pdf",

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N2 - Government agendas have highlighted the requirement for rapid investigation into the body image related experiences of young men, yet a suggested feminisation of body and appearance related topics, and a tendency for non-disclosure, continue to present obstacles to achieving this. However, previous research has indicated that online, anonymous contexts may present useful environments for circumnavigating these barriers. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore young men’s accounts in relation to body image and appearance related issues, using an anonymous online survey. Young men (N=114) ages 16-39 (M=26) took part in a qualitative survey comprising of eight open ended questions, and data were analysed using discursively-informed thematic analysis. Results indicated that the young men welcomed the opportunity to critically engage with the topic and disclose personal body ‘worries’; also revealing that in everyday contexts, discussion is habitually inhibited by social ideals of masculinity. In addition, whilst dominant body ideals were identified as largely unobtainable, they remained significant for physical self-appraisals, and a goal to aspire to. Results are discussed in relation to the potential health implications of negotiating competingdiscourses, as well as the requirement for increased male specific educational resources which challenge prevailing masculine discourses.

AB - Government agendas have highlighted the requirement for rapid investigation into the body image related experiences of young men, yet a suggested feminisation of body and appearance related topics, and a tendency for non-disclosure, continue to present obstacles to achieving this. However, previous research has indicated that online, anonymous contexts may present useful environments for circumnavigating these barriers. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore young men’s accounts in relation to body image and appearance related issues, using an anonymous online survey. Young men (N=114) ages 16-39 (M=26) took part in a qualitative survey comprising of eight open ended questions, and data were analysed using discursively-informed thematic analysis. Results indicated that the young men welcomed the opportunity to critically engage with the topic and disclose personal body ‘worries’; also revealing that in everyday contexts, discussion is habitually inhibited by social ideals of masculinity. In addition, whilst dominant body ideals were identified as largely unobtainable, they remained significant for physical self-appraisals, and a goal to aspire to. Results are discussed in relation to the potential health implications of negotiating competingdiscourses, as well as the requirement for increased male specific educational resources which challenge prevailing masculine discourses.

M3 - Abstract

Y2 - 15 July 2019

ER -

Body talk: the role of masculinity in young men’s body image and appearance related matters

Abstract

Academic conference

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