Spornosexual: Men Post Gym Pictures on Social Media to Impress Their Peers

Austerity is affecting the lives of young adults in today's world. This has fueled the rise in ‘spornosexuals’ - men inspired by porn and sports stars and go to the gym to improve their appearance. Young British men are sharing images of their well-built body on social media to get recognition from their peers. The research, published in the Journal of Gender Studies, found there has been a 'surge in young men sharing images of themselves on social media since the 2008 financial crash.'

Young men have developed a new form of value creation through their bodies, one that has been associated with women.

Dr Jamie Hakim, a lecturer at the University of East Anglia's School of Film, Television and Media Studies, said, “The rise of spornosexuality is a response to the economic changes brought about by austerity.”

“Austerity has eroded young men's traditional means of value creation, so they have become increasingly reliant on their bodies as a means of feeling valuable in society. One of the most interesting aspects of this development is the power shift of a segment of society who have historically defined themselves through their mind, while at the same time defining those they have subordinated - women, gay and working-class people - through their bodies.”

Dr Hakim said, “In the past certain type of men have had to rely on their bodies but with less opportunities in austerity Britain we are seeing the middle class as well as working classing it.”

Spornosexuality was coined in 2014 by media commentator Mark Simpson about the rise of men attending the gym primarily for reasons of appearance, rather than for health or fitness.

The number of young adults in the ages of 16 and 25 going to the gym has increased between the years 2006 and 2013.

The sales of sports nutrition products that are used to burn body fat and build muscle have increased by 40 percent in Britain’s 10 largest supermarkets, according to the market research company Nielsen.

The print version of Men’s Health magazine became the best selling title in the British men's magazine market in 2009. Men are building social media brand with their toned bodies. Maintaining a perfect-looking physique involves a lot of work but offers a little reward.

Dr Hakim said, “The rise of men going to the gym and sharing images of their worked-out bodies began around 2008. There is a correlation between the rise of young men fashioning muscular bodies and sharing them online, and the austerity measures experienced by their generation.”

Source-Medindia