The Disordered Side of Patriarchy, Athleticism & Male Physique

Bell Hooks has taught us this much: patriarchy isn’t just a system that oppresses women. Though women are disproportionately impacted, patriarchy teaches men to suppress emotion, emphasizes dominance, normalizes violence, and limit’s a man’s relational capacity— the ability to have compassion towards self and others. As with any violent system, everybody gets hurt. For men, this can often present in externalized harm, as well as self-harmful ways— disordered eating, compulsive exercise, and risky health behaviours to optimize physique. Essentially, disembodiment to appeal the standards of masculinity. 

How Are Men Impacted by Patriarchy?

Men dissect their bodies— diet, exercise, control— whatever necessary to fit the ideal archetype of man: powerful, dominant, respected. Depending on genetics & physiology, the results of this desire will vary. Regardless of body type, these expectations of masculinity will still exist. Eating disorders, disordered eating, body image distress, and perfectionism exists in men— not just women. In fact, 30% of eating disorder diagnoses in North America are men. Up to 40% of binge eating cases are men. Beauty standards exist for all genders— the behaviours in which we engage in may just look a little bit different.

Boys are most at risk of developing eating disorders during early adolescence, similar to girls. Eating disorders & disordered eating is most prevalent among athletes, men with previously higher weight, as well as gay/queer men.

While some men are focused on thinness, a majority of male eating disorders are centred around fitness, “clean“ eating, and muscularity. Behaviours like tracking, bulking, cutting, weighing, dieting, fasting— all disordered. All are (*or can lead to) obsessive, harmful, isolating lifestyles, often making quality of life much, much poorer.

Why Does it Matter?

It shouldn’t be a huge surprise that diet culture intersects with a human need for bodily safety. This is where big money is made! The cash-cow that is our deepest insecurities. Women have a constant pressure to be feminine & obedient— we learn to control our bodies for safety. But patriarchy leaves men with their own sort of identity confusion— leading exactly in the same direction. So long as the patriarchy exists, so long those values are upheld— men, too, feel the pressures of masculinity. It is only through confronting this can we change beauty standards for men & women (among many, many other things).