Boys have become as unhappy about their looks as girls over the past decade, a study by the Children’s Society has found.
The charity warned of a “deeply distressing” downward trend in the wellbeing of children, as its research found a sharp increase in the number of boys troubled by their appearance.
Historically, the proportion of girls unhappy with how they look has been greater than boys, but this has drawn closer to parity over the past decade.
They’ll be suggesting we get in touch with our feelings next.
I call bullshit.
I know I wasn’t handsome as a lad and that obviously was why I couldn’t pull the birds.
But nobody asked me if I were happy (why would they?) and I certainly wouldn’t have claimed to be unhappy because of my looks.
And do none of these idiots remember the Charles Atlas ads in all the comics??
Aerosols.
could be we’re getting fuglier.
You could be right Hallowed Be. Maybe it’s my white hair.
Different “role models” I guess?
When most of us grew up what got thrown at us was decidedly male, with chest hair and all. Something most of us could aspire to with a bit of luck and effort.
Nowadays it’s gimps, simps, and pretty-boys. Something as fake as a barbie doll. I can see where an average growing lad would be unhappy about that.
Especially when girls are sensitive to whatever Ideal is presented to them en masse, and judge boys on it.
Poor lads don’t stand a chance.
Different “role models” I guess?
My role models were Mr T, Darth Vader and Lion-O from the Thundercats.
Didn’t do me no harm, because I still pity the fool who don’t like cats and would love to choke fuckers who won’t shut up on Teams calls.
If true–most likely sign of shite media and entertainment and state schools crap.
But again–I doubt that it is true. Most people probably think nature could have been kinder to them. I doubt that such occasional thoughts add up to “unhappy”.
Most probably think nature could have been kinder to them. I doubt such thoughts add up to “unhappy” unless the person has social issues which concern over looks could cover up.
The site seemed to have wiped my first post so it re-wrote it.
Silver lining: all the ugly boys and girls won’t get laid, so the next generation will be better-looking than ever.
I reckon social media has been a genuine change on this front. Lads do compare themselves in ways they didn’t used to, and as @Grikath says, what they’re comparing to has changed in an increasingly artificial/unattainable direction.
My one and only stay in hospital (broken leg) was a while back. Consultant toured the ward on occasion, accompanied by a troupe of junior doctors of which 90pct were young women. All were Bo Derek 10s. At the time it occurred to me we probably have assortative mating to thank for the hegemony of brains and looks at one end of the spectrum, and lots of unfortunates bringing up the rear. Or is that ungallant of me.
I don’t think it is immodest to say that I was regarded as being considerably better looking as a young man than my best mate Dave, and I was certainly a lot fitter etc – I used to get a fair bit of attention from the ladies and have had my arse pinched and been groped on plenty of occasions (though it left me untraumatised).
But he was massively more successful with them than I was because he had very low standards (not that he didn’t shag plenty of very fit women in among the munters), had no morals whatsoever, and he took them seriously when they appeared interested in him.
Whereas I, a good catholic boy (which probably didn’t help), could never quite believe that they weren’t taking the piss.
Anyway, his body count was somewhere in the low hundreds I would think. Happily married now to a Polynesian stunner twenty years his junior.
Steve
“Role models”???
Yikes!
The world certainly changed between my yoof and yours.
My generation hadn’t had role models invented.
You’ve accepted the idea.
Ooo nasty!
Raising boys in a matriarchy, as in the UK or US today, will likely result in the subservient sex taking on some aspects of the dominant one.
Is it a recent thing & just confined to the young? Can’t get over how many middle aged men now are getting covered in tattoos. Nary a one, myself. Always seen them as a mark of insecurity. Either desperate to belong to something or concerned about how people see them. Pretty well defines a tosser really. There are an awful lot of tossers around these days.
Yeah BiS. I’ve noticed that in Oz too. I suppose it’s just the fashion.
The stupider the fashion the more popular it is. Think of climate change.