Hollywood has a chequered history of pedalling the almost-impossible ‘Ken doll’ male physique as ‘the norm’.
We’re talking about men with the Marvel-inspired eight-pack abs who tout jaw-dropping, veiny biceps, toned pectoral muscles that can somehow bench the weight of a small car, and have a chiselled jawline that could seemingly cut like a diamond.
Various studies have suggested that boys and men alike feel ‘pressured’ to achieve the ‘ideal’ male body that is so often presented to us through film, TV, and social media.
Millions of men are said to suffer from body image issues, with dissatisfaction being linked to health consequences, such as excessive exercise, steroid use, and even disordered eating.
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But do women really want their potential male partners to chase that wildly-jacked celebrity blueprint?
Or, do they prefer a different kind of look, one that’s softer, and perhaps not what society would have us deem as ‘ideal’?
Well, according to dating site Illicit Encounters, it’s a little bit of a mixed bag.
The website, designed for married people to conduct secret affairs, recently polled 2,000 people on what ‘male body type they preferred’ in a romantic partner.
To come to conclusions, it shared images of The Studio’s Seth Rogen, one-time Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio, and Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, asking its users to ‘rate’ their body types.
While we don’t condone pitting men against each other, you may be interested to know that the so-called ‘dad bod’ look of the two movie stars came out on top for 58 percent of women.
They were joined in the ‘favourites’ category by Chris Pratt, Top Gun: Maverick’s Jon Hamm, and Adam Sandler.
Athletic bodies, such as those exhibited by pro footballers, were deemed the ‘most attractive’ by 22 percent of survey respondents.
10 percent preferred a slimmer frame, such as musicians like Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger and Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker.
Only six percent of the poll said they would go for musclebound body types, while four percent liked School of Rock’s Jack Black.
Speaking about the mixed bag of results, relationship coach Jessica Leoni claimed people were more likely to prefer ‘dad bod’ stars, such as Rogen and DiCaprio, because they were ‘less intimidating’ then men who have a ‘six-pack and bulging muscles’, as per The Sun.
A similar survey, conducted by Dating.com in 2021, came to the same ‘dad bod’ conclusion.
“Very fit and in shape bodies are seen as ideal when it comes to attracting a partner, however the users of Dating.comproved that isn’t always the case when it comes to real-life romances,” said Maria Sullivan, vice-president of the dating website.
“Movies and TV shows tend to promote ‘Barbie and Ken’ body types, giving people the idea they need to look similar in order to find their match. We are happy to confirm that is not how the real world really operates,” she added at the time.
Celebrities such as Jason Momoa, Full House actor John Stamos, and even Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce have all embraced their softer figures in the past.
However, actor Jonah Hill, 42, of The Wolf of Wall Street fame, has said that scrutiny about his weight meant he ‘never took his T-shirt off in a pool’ until he was in his mid-30s.
“Probably would have happened sooner if my childhood insecurities weren’t exacerbated by years of public mockery about my body by press and interviewers,” he wrote in February 2021.
“So the idea that the media tries to play me by stalking me while surfing and printing photos like this and it can’t phase me anymore is dope. I’m 37 and finally love and accept myself.”
He went on to explain that, “This isn’t a ‘good for me’ post. And it’s definitely not a ‘feel bad for me post.’ It’s for the kids who don’t take their shirt off at the pool. Have fun. You’re wonderful and awesome and perfect. All my love.”
Topics: Health, Lifestyle, Science, Sex and Relationships
Ella Scott