Body Image — Part of An Expanded Review of Justin Baldoni’s ‘Man Enough’

Justin Baldoni dissects the gorgeous, the badass, and the ugly of male body image in society

Photo by amol sonar on Unsplash

Body image is a complex and contentious topic in relation to our society’s perception of masculinity. As an “ugly” (i.e., *NOT* conventionally-beautiful) person, I have spent most of my life on the oppressed end of aggression exhibited by those who take their size privilege, height privilege, and overall “beauty privilege” for granted.

In Chapter 2 of his book Man Enough, Justin Baldoni explores his own relationship with physical image. He juxtaposes that with the greater discussions of what constitutes “beauty” within American culture.

This is Part 2 of an eleven-part series examining Baldoni’s book.

Part 1 (the book’s introduction) can be viewed HERE.

Chapter 2 (“Big Enough”)

This chapter is about body image. And this one was quite a roller coaster for me.

It’s like the sensation my friend Paul LeCrone has described, when he reads some of my editorial pieces: “the roller coaster,” here, would be me nodding my head in enthusiastic agreement one minute…but then shaking my head, appalled and triggered…