Calls for more awareness of male body image issues in West Yorkshire.
The pandemic has led over half to feel negatively about how they look
There are calls for more awareness of male body image issues in West Yorkshire.
It's after new research shows one in two (48%) 16-40 year old men have struggled mentally because of how they feel about their body
The pandemic has led over half (58%) to feel negatively about how they look
Only a quarter (26%) of Gen Z and millennial men feel happy with how they currently look
Nick Hindle, the co-owner of N R Gym in Bradford said:
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In parallel, the body positivity and self-love movement is thriving on Instagram, with thousands sharing experiences of body changes during lockdown, advice for self-care and motivational messages throughout lockdown.
But scrolling through hashtags like #bodypositivity and #selflove reveals a gender divide and lack of male voice in the conversation.
Examining the causes of body image concerns in young men, the research found over a third (39%) feel pressure to have a “perfect body” and half cite mainstream media, social platforms or celebrity culture as the main sources of body ideals.
Simon Gunning, CEO of CALM said:
"Body image worries affect people of all genders, body types and backgrounds. And the conversation is much deeper than just weight or body shape.
The worries are complex, and can have a significant impact on people’s mental wellbeing. We know that men can often feel disengaged or excluded from the conversation of body positivity because of unhelpful stereotypes.
So, like with so many of our campaigns, our partnership with Instagram aims to challenge stereotypes of masculinity and open up a new conversation for men and the communities and people around them.
It's totally normal to worry about whatever strange things you spot in the mirror but it is important to get help if these worries begin to affect your mental wellbeing. As a suicide prevention organisation we know how important it is to talk about everyday worries and tackle them head on.
We hope this campaign will be the start of a new conversation that leads more men to seek the support they need.”