When the topic of teens and body image comes up, people usually think of girls feeling pressure from the media to live up to “beauty standards.” But most guys have those moments when they look at some heartthrob on TV and say, “What is it about him that girls go crazy for? Why can’t I look like him?”

There’s always been the desire to live up to some ideal male image, whether it’s James Dean 50 years ago or the manly muscles of WWE champion John Cena or the more sensitive look of Justin Timberlake today.
I spoke with Michael Feldman, a writer and actor who has performed his one-man show, “MuscleBound,” about men’s body image issues at college campuses across the country. Feldman’s show includes footage of men from all walks of life, who he interviewed about their eating and body image disorders. Here’s what he had to say:

Sex, Etc.: Why do you think body image is an issue that is associated mostly with women?

Michael: When this issue of body image first surfaced 25 to 30 years ago, it was pigeonholed, as a “woman’s” issue because it was thought to be primarily a female's disease, especially adolescent females. Body image issues carry a female stigma, and men are not expected to care so much about their appearance.

Sex, Etc.: What, if any, concerns did you have about your body as a teenager?

Michael: My concerns as a teenager began with an intense desire to have the perfect abs. As I exercised more and more, I also started reading fitness and bodybuilding magazines and working out my entire body. From that point on, I was hooked, and unfortunately, things spiraled down from there. I would read about how to lose body fat by cutting certain foods from my diet. What started as cutting foods out of my diet slowly became anorexia.

Then, after seeing a picture of myself and thinking I was way too "skinny" and "scrawny," I flipped and became muscle dysmorphic—where I thought I was too small and constantly worked out to achieve a bigger body.

Sex, Etc.: Has the need for men to be seen as physically strong increased or decreased since, say, the 1950's?

Michael: That's a tough question. I think it's more appropriate to say that our culture has created an atmosphere where men need to be seen as strong. And it has definitely increased since the 1950’s.

In the movies years ago, you had men like Cary Grant and Paul Newman [who weren’t muscle bound] being the face of the "ideal male." In the 1980’s and 1990’s, you started to see the Arnold Schwarzenegger-and Sylvester Stallone-type heroes with gigantic frames that are impossible to achieve without steroids.

The number of gyms has skyrocketed in the last two decades alone. And male bodies are objectified just as much as female bodies in advertisements these days. This was not the case 50 years ago.

There are theories that this need to appear physically bigger is in response to what some men see as a threat to men’s power. The last 50 years have seen women gaining a more equal status in society. This is great, but some men feel threatened by this. And one way to feel more powerful has been through highlighting the physical differences between men and women.

Sex, Etc.: In your play, "MuscleBound," there are gay and straight characters. What role does sexual orientation play in a man's body image?

Michael: Men are suffering across the board—gay, straight, bi.

Sex, Etc.: Why do you think having men address body image issues is important?

Michael: I think it's incredibly important because raising awareness is the first step. Over the past several years, men have been experiencing pressure from constantly being bombarded with images of the ideal male. Yet this is not openly discussed. So, males continue to suffer in secret. The more men speak out on this issue, the more men will realize they aren't suffering alone. In turn, this will help doctors and counselors better understand men and eating disorders and better understand how to treat them.

If you’re struggling with an eating disorder, go to the National Eating Disorders Association Web site at Nationaleatingdisorders.org or call their helpline at 1-800-931-2237.