OUT AFRICA MAGAZINE Out Magazine ISSUU 33 | Page 35

B
ody image concerns have long been associated with
women, but men also feel societal pressures to look
lean, fit and, especially, muscular. This is especially
prevalent in the gay community, where the quest
to look fit and healthy is seen as an indication of one’s sexual
health. This trend for fitness took off, at least in the gay
community, during the AIDS crisis in the late 1980’s and 1990’s,
where it was important to have a healthy appearance - being too
thin drew the possible inference that one had been infected by
the AIDS virus.
You might well ask what is fitspo? Fitspo refers to images and
words that people post with the purpose of inspiring themselves
and others to live a fit, active life. Fitspo is used as inspiration
for people to get healthy, fit and sporty. All well and good,
and a great idea. Unfortunately, the images often portray
dangerously thin, overly sexualised women, or very muscular
men with bodies that the vast majority of viewers will never be
able to achieve. A lot of fitspo unfortunately promotes obsessive
tendencies to attain impossible appearance ideals resulting in
a whole other set of issues