It’s no secret that many gay men work out frequently and watch their weight carefully. Why is that? Where does that pressure derive from?

Does it stem from an over-sexualisation of the body? In other words, is it because the body is seen as something to be consumed, rather than being the vessel of a human being with a heart?

In this episode, Jeevan (@lgbt.abdnaware) and I discuss where the obsession with the gym and that perfect, ripped body comes from.

You’ll hear him arguing really fascinating points, such as the “lean physique” being a means to escape from discrimination - because who’s going to disrespect you if you’re big and bulky, right?

We’ll briefly be touching on the ideas of the feminine and masculine archetype. However, the episode after this one will dive into that subject matter deeper (categorisation of gay men, how the patriarchy plays into gay culture).