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"Appearance potent"? A content analysis of UK gay and straight men's magazines

Jankowski, Glen S.; Fawkner, Helen; Tiggemann, Marika; Slater, Amy

Authors

Glen S. Jankowski

Helen Fawkner

Marika Tiggemann

Amy Slater Amy.Slater@uwe.ac.uk
Associate Professor in Centre for Appearance Research



Abstract

© 2014. With little actual appraisal, a more 'appearance potent' (i.e., a reverence for appearance ideals) subculture has been used to explain gay men's greater body dissatisfaction in comparison to straight men's. This study sought to assess the respective appearance potency of each subculture by a content analysis of 32 issues of the most read gay (Attitude, Gay Times) and straight men's magazines (Men's Health, FHM) in the UK. Images of men and women were coded for their physical characteristics, objectification and nudity, as were the number of appearance adverts and articles. The gay men's magazines featured more images of men that were appearance ideal, nude and sexualized than the straight men's magazines. The converse was true for the images of women and appearance adverts. Although more research is needed to understand the effect of this content on the viewer, the findings are consistent with a more appearance potent gay male subculture.

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Jan 1, 2014
Deposit Date Aug 27, 2014
Journal Body Image
Print ISSN 1740-1445
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 11
Issue 4
Pages 474-481
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2014.07.010
Keywords body image, media, gay men, magazines, body dissatisfaction
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/812845
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2014.07.010
Contract Date Nov 15, 2016