I think gynecomastia has far less to do with a bad perception of breasts per say than it is to do with a bad perception of ‘looking different’ from other men and not fitting the norm.
Study after study after study involving children has shown that as humans we set up what we regard as ‘visual norms’. We take comfort in being the same as those around us, for that reason all things that appear odd to society like gynecomastia are vilified and not tolerated. As part of society the sufferer has grown up with the same ideas ingrained and is just as likely to vilify and not tolerate the same said condition.
As someone that has a different appearance- we ourselves can be vilified and not tolerated by society.
e.g.
The kid picked on in the playground because of gynecomastia- the teenager not asked to hang out with the right crowd because of gynecomastia- the adult looked at as an oddity as he walks down the street and treated differently by staff in shops because of gynecomastia.
Teenagers with gynecomastia get picked on, because they appear different and the teenage bullies know it and treat them like a pariah. Teenage bullies themselves often only do this to draw attention away from themselves so that people look at others in a time where their own insecurities are rife- because of their body changes and their concerns for looking normal.
But the teenage bullies also pick on those who are too fat or too short etc, so how is there a difference between being too fat or too shot and gynecomastia?
Well;
I think that as a man having large breasts is more unusual (if they are small the perception of it being more very unusual is often held by the sufferer) than the issues above, it takes the sufferer further outside of the accepted norms and therefore more open to vilification and the a lack of tolerance.
So I think that the issue is one of bad perception period.
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With adverse effects on the psych of the small breasted girl being just as bad as what we see in the well-endowed young men.
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I do not think the example is appropriate, because although a woman with small breasts may be affected by the pressures of society to have larger breasts, I would think that a female appendage on a male body can be said to be generally more outside the accepted norms of society and has more potential to cause psychological distress.
I agree that society’s views on women’s breasts are perverted and as men we sometimes do have a fascination in them that seems to defy good taste, but I do not believe that psychological thought pattern holds true for male breasts at all. I think they are seen in an entirely different way by society.
A more appropriate example as to what would have the potential to cause similar psychological distress for women would be to have a male appendage on a female body-
A beard for example!
P.S
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While there are no doubt a lot of guys who hope their breasts could be reduced to the size indicated by the photo; There are others with much less that what the photo indicated that are clamoring for surgery.
I can understand both sides of this. But how attractive you are to the opposite sex is much more dependent on your self image than your outward image.
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I totally agree with your other statements though.
Topic: cover of US magazine, take a look (Read 7157 times)
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