An article in Details magazine examines "America's New Male Body Obsession." Guys -- are you feeling more pressured/objectified/stressed when it comes to your body? Do you find that women are more curious as to what's going on under your clothes than ever before? Good thing/bad thing? 

Mystery Man says:

This thing back again? Seems to crop up every two years like clockwork, as people notice they haven't talked about metrosexuals in a while.

It was an interesting read - thank you for that! - but personally I just felt more irritated by the whole bodily obsession thing (and most of the pictures in the slideshow - what is this sudden obsession with hairless manboys?) than anything else.

Possibly because I have a very blue-collar view of life, where serious grooming is something that happens if the Pope is likely to drop by for a beer. A workout is what you get from working and playing, not going to the gym. Eating healthy is a normal part of life that most people call home cooking on a budget.

Or possibly because I dislike it intensely when women get pressured by being bombarded with images that damage their self worth. This is more of the same cynical BS, just targeted in a different way.

It's no bad thing to be aware of your body enough that you keep it in good condition. We guys have gotten used to gals looking good for us, and turnabout is fair play.

The moisturising, waxing, make-up etc? Meh, whatever floats your boat. I'll stick to a nightly bath and weekly shave, with the odd use of hand lotion and chapstick as needed.

Reformed Player says:

Honestly, I don't think this has really changed: people who like men have been staring at men in skimpy outfits for millenia.  What's changed is that we've been pretending that it doesn't happen for the last fifty years or so, but now we're dropping that facade and some people are freaking out about it.  See: pretty much every social conservative in the last twenty years.

Personally, I feel no particular pressure, but then again, I also work out daily for health reasons; I'm scared out of my mind about cancer so I pretty much have an entirely different set of anxieties.  And who knows?  If guys push back it might do something for the fashion industry, like have them realize impossible ideals are a real problem.

Hey, we can dream.

Funny Guy says:

"Working out more, eating better, dressing in slimmer clothes, getting the hedges trimmed."  Is this new? I don't know. I grew up in a famous boy band, used to roadie for Maroon 5, and currently work as print model for high precision tweezer company (TDI International Inc).

I might be the wrong guy to ask.  Can't remember the last time I went a full week without electro-pube-shock-therapy (EPST) and some intensive core strengthening. Guess I was just raised right. 

Girls' BFF says:

I've never been obsessed with my body. Mostly because I'm too lazy to really hit the gym so I can't really obsess. I also only date the type of women who seem to find my humor very attractive so they're not looking for buff. Plus, women are just better people than men are. A guy who steals a woman's heart never has to worry about his body. Look at all the uber tubby men with devoted and loving wives. The universe just isn't fair like that. But don't hate the player, hate the game.

Wise Ass says:

No one's interested in my body. Problem solved.

Gal Pal says:

Please. Men can start crying about body image after they've spent an afternoon with Olga of Hollywood Wax. Only then will I pass them the Kleenex.