Is there an ideal male body image, or are we all deceiving ourselves and our boys into thinking that there is and that it’s desirable? True, the Greeks depicted incredibly chiseled male bodies in their sculpture, and there is an excessive number of “muscle supplements” and magazines devoted to bulking up, but is it healthy? And, are adolescent boys being victimized by this myth of maleness and musculature?
The market for these muscle-building supplements was over $20 billion in 2021 and will grow to $32 billion in 2028. It is, therefore, a thriving market that shows no signs of slowing down. To keep its growth on the upswing, producers must heavily promote the male ideal body, and young minds are naïve enough to believe whatever the ads promise.