Pumping Profit: Postnatural Bodies and Consumer Masculinities

Issues concerning masculinity and men’s bodies have become increasingly tied to a culture of consumerism in modern America. This research addresses the impact of postnatural physiques in media on American men’s beliefs about their bodies, their definitions of what it means to “look” masculine, and how they approach embodying that definition. Why are men spending more and more money on gym fees and supplements without corresponding increases in health and fitness? By considering the evolution of idealized male bodies within American culture, the paradoxical relationship between masculine embodiment and modern consumerism are examined