Boys and Self-Image: Looking in the Mirror

When people think of teenagers and body image, on most accounts we think of young girls and the issues with anorexia and bulimia. Yet in America's culture today the message of perfection is greater than ever. Our various forms of media such as television, magazines, and movies now have a larger affect on adolescent boys. In the graphic novels Blankets by Craig Thompson and American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang, both authors struggle with experiences of their own self-image. Young boys go through the same issues of insecurities and physical self-perception as girls do during young adulthood.

How did boys become so involved with self-image deficiencies? According to Eric Shapiro, “Society dictates to kids from a very young age through constant subconscious marketing what it really means to be attractive, successful, or even happy,” (1). In Thompson’s graphic novel, we see Craig influenced through what he is exposed to as an adolescent child; “But it doesn’t have to be scary if you are a Christian and have asked Jesus into your heart; because when you die, you will go to heaven”(49). Craig, as a young boy, was told what was to be expected of him by his Sunday school teacher. He was not sold on the fact that he should be attractive or successful. Yet he was still being told how he should behave and act. If he did this, he would go to heaven and essentially reach. This is an example of adolescent boys today. Dr. Pauline Bergstein explains, "There are so many messages of what and how a person should be [in our society] that is can't but make the more vulnerable of us desperate to fight for and embrace external definitions of success and beauty" (Shapiro 2). Young adolescents are able to embrace their flaws and imitate what our society defines as perfection.

Adolescent boys are highly influenced by magazines and other idolized figures. We are seeing more of the "Barbie Syndrome” in boys, according to David L. Wheeler. This syndrome consists of unrealistic expectations of our bodies. Researchers are starting to find that the typical self-imaging that we see in young girls is now becoming more evident in adolescent boys as well. But instead of wanting to look like Ken and Barbie, adolescent boys are persuaded by G.I. Joe figures. "G.I. Joe Extreme, would have a biceps of 26 inches, which the researchers say is larger than that of any known body-builder,” explains Harrison Pope, doctor and researcher in the Biological Psychiatry Laboratory at Harvard University (Wheeler A22). There is a underlying message behind these "role models." Adolescent boys begin to believe looks only matter when it comes to achievements, such as making friends and earning respect from others.

Although pop culture and media are influences that are hard to ignore, we find school to be the most influential on self-image for adolescent boys. Boys today are talking about being teased on school grounds. “Oh! Oh, man, was I teased? Are you kidding? When I was fat, people must have gone home and thought of nothing else except coming up with new material the next day, says Alexander, a six-teen year old teenager” (Hall 32). It seems that adolescent teens are the major reason for insecurities in young boys. Jin, a young Asian boy, finally finds his first friend Peter, and as a result he is bullied more often. “He introduced himself to me at recess one day. Gimme yer sandwich and I’ll be your best friend. Otherwise I’ll kick your butt and make you eat my boogers”( Yang 34). Jin struggles in school to find a friend because he is different. We also see Thompson endure a similar situation in the halls of high school. “Haha Faggot! Nice hair! You look like a fucking girl”(Thompson 53). Craig gets attacked, by some peers, who he illustrates as having the "physical-image standards.” When Jin is bullied by a few students, he is teased based on the fact that he is Asian. “What the hell is that? Dumplings. Hmph. Stay away from my dog. Ha”(Yang 32). 

When you’re an adolescent, it can be hard to fit-in with social standards, and since Jin is different from other students he is the ideal target for bullies. Our “culture of cruelty” is not likely to defuse, which will, in turn, enable more adolescent boys to have more self-consciousness and concerns about their body/self image.

Young boys want to be seen as what society deems to be “masculine.” In the Journal of Adolescent Research, researcher Stephen Frost found that adolescent girls are able to talk more openly about looks and boys. While interviewing the young boys individually it appeared that they were more willing to speak of girls in a serious manner, along with they feared being called homosexual names, than they would in larger group interviews. "They talked more openly about their anxieties at home and praised girls more generally from being different from boys, being bullied at school, and not being able to discuss homework or hairstyles with other boys" (Bamberg 606). Danny deals with rejection from Melanie when she decides to be honest; “You know I’ve never noticed it before, but your teeth kind of buck out a little”(Yang 124). When Melanie rejects Danny, he finds himself alone and self-conscious. We see another example in the graphic novel Blankets, when Craig meets Raina's mother for the first time. "Craig! How WONDERFUL to finally meet you! I've heard so many great things, Raina practically RAVES about you!"(Thompson 210). Raina's mother was ecstatic to meet Craig, but Craig’s family knew very little about his new relationship. Craig was nervous to ask his mother for permission to see her. "Are you sure she's just a friend?" (Thompson 482). Craig’s mother does not know very much about their relationship, while Raina's mother knew almost everything.

As boys get older, their view on sexuality broadens, and they start to pay more attention to the superficial side of our cultural. Most importantly, they pay attention to what girls have to say. When Jin becomes a teenager, he is very self-concious about his date with Amelia, and has Wei-chen ask her about it. “How was your date with Jin? I actually had a lot of fun. Fun? How so? Was Jin Nice?..Funny?..Bubbly?”(Yang 176). 

Jin was freaking out about Amelia’s impression of him. Alexander explains his side, "When you hear girls qawking at Abercrombie and Fitch about how hot the guy is on the bag - that makes an impression. If I look this way, I've got my foot in the door" (Hall 62). Bare, hairless, ripped chests in advertisements have become a boy's cultural icon.

In a survey of 272,400 student’s USA WEEKEND researchers found that only 4 out of 10 students thought themselves to be attractive. 9 out of 10 boys wanted to tone up, while only 15 percent liked themselves "the way I am." More than half say they occasionally are "really depressed"; 1 in 5 often feel despondent. Yet 50% of boys participate in athletics. However, 78% of these athletes use supplements, even when they are well aware of the health risks that link to abusing them.

Boys are not far behind girls when it comes to doubting their self-image and esteem. Various forms of media and the pressures of society create adolescent insecurities. Throughout Craig Thompson's novel, there are several connections of insecurities that he has yet to overcome. As Shapiro writes, "If we are OK with who we are and what we want our of life, then no magazine advertisement can alter the true perceptions of ourselves.”

Works Cited

Case, Jeffrey. “Making American Boys: Boyology and the Feral Tale.” The Journal of American. Culture 27 Dec. (2004): 451-452.

Hall, Stephen S. “The Trouble Life of Boys; The Bully in the Mirror.” The New York Times 22. Aug. 1999: 4-10

Ramberg, Michael. “Journal of Adolescent Research." Sage. Sept (2006): 604-608.

Rhule, Patty. “Teens Tackle Their Identity Crisis.” USA Weekend 1 May 1998: 1-4

Shapiro, Eric. “Adolescent Males and the Media’s Influence on their Self-Image.” Men’s Health Network.

Thompson, Craig. Blankets. Canada: Top Shelf Productions, 2004.

 

Yang, Gene Luen. American Born Chinese. New York & London: First Second, 2006.