medical emergency cases tend to be
male. Guys will wait until the pain is
unbearable before they come into the
clinic. Excuses range from, “I was
too busy” or “It usually goes away on
its own” to “It was never this bad”.
This type of thinking can be very
risky and can lead to a late diagnosis.
Basing your health on how you feel
can lead to severe consequences
down the road. Doctors recommend
regular screenings for blood pressure,
cancer, cholesterol and STDs
because, in most cases, symptoms go
unnoticed until the late stages of the
disease process.
Experts believe that behind all
the excuses for not going to doctors,
there are underlying cultural
explanations. While women are
more likely to have been conditioned
since their teenage years to visit their
doctor or gynaecologist regularly,
young boys are rarely advised to
see their family doctors for routine
checkups. Many psychologists also
believe that fear is another deterrent.
What if they find something wrong?
Health problems are viewed as a
threat to masculinity. Young men are
taught that seeing a doctor or getting
sick is a sign of weakness and that
“real men” don’t whine or complain
about pain. Is it a surprise that
women continue to outlive us?
The blame game
So why has the vanity bug hit
the male species? A big chunk of
the blame goes to the internet,
social media and, of course, David
Beckham. Bend it like Beckham?
More like Blame it on Beckham.
The poster boy for metrosexuals
can be found everywhere. Massive
billboards displaying his shredded
physique and chiseled looks are the
envy of both women and men alike.
Social media has contributed to
the accepted objectification of men.
Sites like TubeCrush and Tinder
focus only on physical appearance.
Nothing is known about the
personality behind the pretty face.
Between Facebook, YouTube, Twitter
and Instagram, anyone with a
handsome profile and ripped abs can
post a selfie and within seconds have
an instant viral following. Online
dating websites typically have skewed
ratios that favour women, putting
further pressure on guys to “look the
part”. In an increasingly competitive
work environment, many older men
feel heightened pressure to look
youthful to keep up with the younger
workers.
Women have been fighting with
society’s warped ideals of body image
for generations. Inevitably, the battle
has now spilled over into the male
realm. Curse you, David Beckham!
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