UK company, Superdrug Online Doctor, asked graphic designers from 19 countries to photoshop the picture of New York-based photographer into their country's version of an attractive male. The results, not surprisingly, highlight a subjective account of beauty, one that is culture-relative.
Being part of a project titled, Perceptions of Perfection, the initiative aims to show that there is no universal idea of the 'perfect body'.
The company notes on the project's webpage:
"Fueled in part by the media and popular culture, men around the world may feel even more body image–related pressure than women do–pressure to be stronger or slimmer or more muscular."
They also state that their aim is to motivate all men to,
"prioritize health above appearance, and to promote body confidence around the world."
Denise Hatton, Chief Executive of YMCA England, says that Perceptions of Perfection highlights a growing societal issue that affects men in the same way that it affects women:
"Our own research found that 40% of men in the UK felt pressure from television and magazines to have a 'perfect' body and this has negative effects on how they view themselves and others."
The differences between the original image and each of the altered ones vary to a significant degree. While the alterations are subtle in some of the images, they are so substantial in others that the altered version of the man does not even vaguely resemble the original. What is interesting however, is that there is a noticable difference in each of the images.
[h/t: My Modern Met]
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