Muscly men are not only present in dating shows: they seep into gay culture through all media, with their desirability often defining the self-worth of gay and bi men. Such a lack of body diversity disproportionately affects members of the LGBTQ+ community, with recent studies finding that 56% of gay and bi men feel anxious or depressed because of their body image (compared with 33% of those that identify as heterosexual). The freshly-waxed men all flaunt their bulging biceps and washboard abs to the cameras – presenting a very specific image of masculinity deemed to be the most attractive to audiences at home. Similar shows such as Love Island have come under fire in recent years due to the lack of body diversity on display. However, there’s a sense of trepidation alongside the excitement: the show runs the very real risk of reinforcing damaging stereotypes of body image, hyper-sexuality and promiscuity.
��� Who loves LOVE? If you are ready for LOVE, come join me, & for �I Kissed A Boy� � (working title) a dating show that will follow 10 single gay men looking for LOVE.