Thoughts about body image

Body image is as bad for men now as it is for women. It shouldn’t be but it is. I’ve put 2lbs on today and feel fat which I shouldn’t especially given my background as a sociologist but I do. So much in society is constructed by and driven by a group of predominately white men hidden away in offices deciding what is and is not acceptable in society without a thought for the consequences on others in society it is wrong but how we change it is another question. Even in university there is a certain ‘look’ and then we’re told it is wrong to feel we should have to feel we have to look a certain way to ‘fit in’ and we should look how we want and be happy. As a 53 year old male I know I shouldn’t worry about body image at my age but when I run and line up against all these stick thin lads with their vests flapping and my vest is so tight I do. I’ve lost the race before I start because I believe I can’t compete because I’m too big. Body image affects you mentally and can be very detrimental to your mental health. We can only hope that things change and how society perceives and see’s the human body widens beyond the thin, white woman or the muscle toned, six pack white male.