Can I have your muscles?

from: April

In this picture a 16 year old boy is admiring his muscles. He is hoping that they have gotten bigger or big enough to make him a better baseball player. This picture is demonstrating gender socialization because this boy has been shown through the media that he has to be strong and fit just like his role models and, the only way he will ever be a good baseball player is if he looks exactly like the muscular players he sees on TV. Television is not giving these young boys enough information. Instead these boys are seeing that you must look exactly this way or you won't ever make it playing baseball. Some of the baseball players have trainers, cooks, and nutritionist who are making sure they are building a new muscular and toned body image in the right way. Without the proper guidance, these young boys maybe harming themselves to create this so called "perfect" body image. They may even be tempted to use steroids to gain large muscles. This is showing gender socialization because in today's society men and boys are always looked at to be strong and dominate. So young boys are feeling the pressure to fit this mold and will do whatever it takes to get their body to look a certain way, in this case muscular. The boy in this picture is my 16 year old brother who is about to try out for his high school baseball team. He was told that in order for him to make the team he must gain muscle and get in better shape. He has been working hard at reaching this goal for almost a year now and he is getting to where he is told he should be. When I asked him what he wants to look like, he told me that "I want to look just like the guys I see on TV. The ones whose muscles that don't even fit in their shirts. I want to do whatever it takes to make the team and be a great baseball player and if that means lifting weights then that is what I am going to do." Looking at this picture you see this young boy just hoping that he is getting close too looking like the picture of one of his favorite baseball players. However; I can't help but wonder if this baseball player would want him to look and live this lifestyle. I would hope that this baseball player would encourage him to be himself, set his own goals to increase his strength and perfect his baseball skills, and not try to imitate what he is shown on TV.