MORE THAN HALF OF GAY MEN SAY THEY ARE ‘UNHAPPY’ WITH THEIR BODY – EXCLUSIVE
MORE THAN HALF OF GAY MEN SAY THEY ARE ‘UNHAPPY’ WITH THEIR BODY – EXCLUSIVE
We surveyed over 5000 readers ahead of Attitude’s landmark Body Issue – out today.
As we prepare to explore the body beautiful in our landmark Body Issue – available to download and in shops today (February 1) – an extensive new survey conducted by Attitude has revealed the shocking truth about how gay men really feel about their body.
A survey of more than 5,000 readers conducted in January 2017 revealed that more than half of respondents are unhappy with their body, with an overwhelming majority (84 per cent) reporting feeling intense pressure to have a good body.
Responding to the question How happy would you say you are with your body?, 49 per cent reported feeling “Unhappy”, while another 10 per cent said they were “Very unhappy”.
While 23 per cent of respondents said they felt “Happy” with their body. 17 per cent reported having “No strong feelings either way”.
Staggeringly, just one per cent said they were “Very happy” with the way they looked.
The survey also shed light on the importance gay men place on having a good body for both themselves and potential partners, as well as the pressures of social media and online affirmation.
Attitude editor-in-chief Matt Cain says of the survey and the Body Issue in which its findings are published: “Every issue of Attitude is important to us but this one even more so than usual. And it’s one that I really care about.
“Our relationship with our body is one of the most important we’ll ever have. It’s one that can bring us intense pleasure but can also cause huge stress. And it’s one that we can’t end with a quick, easy break-up.”
He continues: “This is why we’ve decided to dedicate this entire issue of Attitude to exploring how we feel about our body. And what better way to start than by asking you, our readers, how you feel about yours?”
You can see the full results of the Attitude Body Survey in Attitude’s Body Issue, available to download and in shops now. Available internationally from newsstand.co.uk/attitude.
http://attitude.co.uk/over-half-of-gay-men-say-they-are-unhappy-with-their-bodies-exclusive/
ATTITUDE’S EDITOR-IN-CHIEF STRIPS OFF TO SHOW HOW MAGAZINES CAN MANIPULATE BODIES
Matt Cain is on a mission to separate the fact from the fiction in Attitude’s Body Issue.
In this month’s issue of Attitude – available to download and in shops now – we’re exploring the body beautiful in all its forms.
As our extensive new survey into body image reveals the shocking truth about how gay men really feel about their bodies, Attitude’s new editor-in-chief Matt Cain dared to strip off in front of the camera to demonstrate how the bodies people see in photos are often completely detached from reality.
In a ‘Real Bodies’ special, Matt’s body is subjected to the tricks and techniques used by many magazines to enhance the male body, with everything from contouring dehydration, lighting and post-production techniques used to create the typical ‘dream body’.
Before: Matt strips off to separate the fact from the fiction in Attitude’s Body Issue
“Every issue of Attitude is important to us but this one even more so than usual. And it’s one that I really care about,” says Matt.
“Our relationship with our body is one of the most important we’ll ever have. It’s one that can bring us intense pleasure but can also cause huge stress. And it’s one that we can’t end with a quick, easy break-up.
He adds: “The version of my body we created is very much a fantasy. I hope when readers see it they’ll understand this. I hope it will stop them looking at hot bodies in magazines and asking, “Why can’t I look like that?’.”
After: Matt’s body is almost unrecognisable after undergoing commonly-used photo fakery.
Read the full feature in Attitude’s Body Issue, available to download and in shops now. Available internationally from newsstand.co.uk/attitude.