Comments on: Let’s talk about steroids and body image in the gay community

By: Dan Meek

Dan Meek — Sun, 26 Feb 2017 07:25:38 +0000

‘Remember that you should love yourself, and f*** everybody else’s opinion.’ I’m pretty bloody tired of cultural critique that concludes with a list of directions to readers, as if we can just voluntarily decide not to be bound by structures that constrain us and shape our social identity and sense of self.

By: akihiko

akihiko — Wed, 22 Feb 2017 05:07:25 +0000

I didn’t take steroids per se but I took supplements that helped me lose weight. Being fat, ugly and asian in a Mardi Gras or any gay party is a triple whammy. So I worked hard by eating healthy and exercised to I possibly could, paid hundreds of dollars on supplements and prayed hard that it will give me the results I wanted. I did eventually lose the weight from 94 Kg to 58 Kg. But was I ever happy with my body? No. Did it make me more appealing to the men around me? No. I’m still ugly and asian to most people. Which brought me to realise the problem. I was trying to please people without noticing it. Now I feel older and wiser at 28, I’ve bounced my weight back to a healthy fat percentage at 68 Kg. And you what’s best? I don’t give a shit. I haven’t gone to a gay party in a long time and I feel happier being detached from the judgmental spectrum that shadow the streets of pride parades. I strut my own pride parade as I walk to work everyday. Let’s face it, the current cookie cutter mindset of the new wave of gay people has been plaguing hate within our community. So I stand for my own and what I believe in and I hope that maybe one day, some people who woke up to this reality like I did, would start walking their own pride march.

By: Johnny No-Pack

Johnny No-Pack — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 03:33:18 +0000

Good sentiments, but a little rich coming from the writer who appeared in a “come to the gym and get buff like me” photo story a few issues back.

By: Robert McCormick

Robert McCormick — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 00:02:12 +0000

+We are also told that some of these chemical ‘body enhancers’ have very seriously bad side effects: Raging unexplained bursts of anger coupled with physical violence, up to and including murder. Bouts of extreme Depression which have, unless treated by a health professional, resulted in Suicides. I think we have more than enough of our, unfair, ‘fair share’ of Suicide within our community without adding to the problem ourselves and putting ourselves at risk. In our “Size” obsessed community some of those steroids actually cause that “Most Important Part” (Your dick) to actually shrink by an incredible amount!
There is only One Way to get a truly long-lasting set of Abs, Pecs, Thighs and Butt: Regular Gym Work and use a Personal Trainer/Instructor. You don’t have to lift massive weights, you DO have to have a Regular Routine at which you actually work – and not stand, as so many of the straight guys at our gym do, admiring themselves and flexing in front of the mirrors, mirrors incidentally are not there for that purpose! they are there so that you can ensure you are doing the exercises correctly, thereby avoiding serious physical injury.
I am an oldie. Have never taken a steroid in my life, attend Gym 4 or 5 days per week – it has been proven that Men get better improvements if they do their gym work in the early morning and females in the late afternoon. For someone of my age – No, I won’t tell you because our community, like our obsession with having a body which “Would have sent Praxiteles mad”, is also obsessed with Age. Once over 30 (I’m years more than that) you may as well pack up and die. I still get probably more than my years say I should thanks to all that hard gym work.
We don’t need steroids, it takes a bit longer but the results do last.
Suicide? No Thanks! Unexplained, irrational bursts of Anger? No Thanks.

By: Graham T

Graham T — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 07:07:53 +0000

My best friend is now, in older age, suffering from chronic pain and other ailments that he contributes to the steroids and many other ‘supplements’ he took over the years.
He worked out hard and partied even harder.
When I see the guys you mention I actually feel a bit worried for them. They will suffer for it later in life.
Mine is the first openly gay generation to have easy access to steroids, gyms and the ‘gay lifestyle’ that goes with it all. So we are also the first to find out the consequences!
My advice to the next generation is take it easy, you can look good and sexy by just watching your weight and staying active.