In the New York Times (12/3), pediatrician and author Cara Natterson, MD, writes, “One of the biggest myths about the beauty myth is that it’s female,” because “boys suffer from unrealistic beauty standards, too.” Natterson observes, “Many thoughtful researchers have offered up data about male body dysmorphia, showing that body image concerns and eating disorders alike are basically gender neutral.” For that reason, “we need to call out the disconnect between ideal health and ideal physique for boys, something we have done for females for many years now.” Boys need to be asked “about their experiences as emerging men in a culture often saturated with toxic masculinity; about their knowledge of what’s actually happening to their changing bodies; about the pressures associated with body goals.” Natterson concludes, “The key to raising boys begins with dialogue.”
Related Links:
— “The Beauty Myth for Boys, “Cara Natterson, The New York Times, December 3, 2019