Metro man

Curse of the metrosexual man?

We are all aware of the intense pressure on women to look perfect and to be a certain weight but sometimes we forget about the pressure on men in today's society.

The latest products on the market show that there is a huge beauty product market for males and that men are now looking after themselves just as much as women. No longer is it acceptable for men to simply splash some soap and water on their face, use a cheap bic razor to shave (while taking chunks out of their face! Oh the shame of the white tissue) or to wear the first piece of clothing that they find crumpled on the floor when they roll out of bed in the morning. The modern man must now take more care with their appearance and as a result the metrosexual male was born.

The metrosexual male is someone who is willing to embrace his feminine side. The metrosexual male spends more time on his hair than his girlfriend, likes to cleanse and moisturise and is extremely fussy about his clothes. Even Eminem, rap's bad–boy, likes to pamper himself with facials, manicures and pedicures. David Beckham is king of the metrosexual male with changing hairstyles and keeping in tip top condition being his specialities- oh but how I still cringe when I remember the sarong- just too far!! 

One of the downsides of this pressure on men to look good, is the growth of eating disorders in men. Our gym obsessed society is surrounding boys from a very young age with the message that they must have a chiselled toned 6-pack. Action figures present subtle messages of sculpted, muscled, perfect bodies and little boys grow up with these as their role models.  

Today's culture places values on the thin, beautiful and perfect image instead of what is on the inside. Plastic surgery means that if you don't like what you see you can change it.  

The role of the man has diminished as women are now taking a more dominant position in society- they feel threatened and many compensate by bodybuilding or taking steroids to feel more masculine. 

In Hollywood the man who gets the girl is always the one who has perfect teeth, a handsome face and the chiselled, defined body. This can leave men feeling unworthy or with low self-esteem if they do not also have the same features.  

Although eating disorders are becoming more recognised as a serious health worry, we must also remember that men are feeling the pressures to be thin and to have the ‘perfect' body and that they too are susceptible to an eating disorder. 

Find out more about eating disorders.

By: Marie Duffy 

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