Stop Comparing Yourself to Instagays
Over the past year, the time we spent scrolling on screens has gone up astronomically for many of us. As more studies come in about how depression, anxiety, and body dysphoria are on the rise (especially among those of us in the LGBTQ+ community) and how these things seem to be pretty persuasively linked to the amount of time we spend on social media, there seems to be one primary plan of action we can take to reduce the damage our timelines are doing to our wellbeing: get off social media. And if you can't get off it entirely (because let's be honest, we all are addicted or need to be on it for one reason or another), the next best thing is to acknowledge that social media is basically fake, and we have to stop comparting ourselves to so-called "Instagays."
What is an "Instagay"? Well, you probably follow several of them. We certainly do! And there's nothing wrong with enjoying some of the hottest men in the world posting their perfectly tanned, perfectly toned asses on vacation in Puerto Vallarta. The problem arises when you're entire timeline is filled with nothing but insanely fit and beautiful young men in exotic locales. Our phones can function as our windows into the world, and seeing nothing but Instagays is liking viewing the world through a glass darkly. A very sexy glass darkly.
Of course, I don't really have to remind that you the vast majority of gay men are not in peak physical condition, have a perfect head of hair, a massive swelling bulge nor are are on permanent vacation. Using Photoshop, hair and makeup teams, and careful scheduling of posts, the illusion of their beauty and lifestyle can be pretty persuasive. So feel free to stan, ship, oggle, or jerk off to these Instagays, but it is foolish to model your own life after them or compare your physical looks to them.
The real world and social media don't have a lot in common. You don't need perfect six pack abs to find a loving man. Spending all your time in a skimpy swimsuit on the beach does get old after a while, fellas. For our sanity and mental health, it's important to appreciate these professional influencers as something more like performance artists. Like, we can know that a magic trick is fake, but can still appreciate the effort that goes into it. We're not trying to throw shade on hunky gay influencers, but they will be the first to tell you that it's a job like any other and certainly not as glamourous as their carefully staged and edited photos make it seem.
So in conclusion, Instagays, we love you and your perfect bodies and lives in the same way that we love an exciting Sci-Fi movie. But when we log off, it's the real men with real bodies and real lives that truly drive us wild. In fact, these days, one of the hottest qualities a man can have is to be disengaged from social media! Like everything, it's all about balance. Now excuse me while I post a thirst trap from my vacation to Portugal... 😜
Of course, I don't really have to remind that you the vast majority of gay men are not in peak physical condition, have a perfect head of hair, a massive swelling bulge nor are are on permanent vacation. Using Photoshop, hair and makeup teams, and careful scheduling of posts, the illusion of their beauty and lifestyle can be pretty persuasive. So feel free to stan, ship, oggle, or jerk off to these Instagays, but it is foolish to model your own life after them or compare your physical looks to them.
The real world and social media don't have a lot in common. You don't need perfect six pack abs to find a loving man. Spending all your time in a skimpy swimsuit on the beach does get old after a while, fellas. For our sanity and mental health, it's important to appreciate these professional influencers as something more like performance artists. Like, we can know that a magic trick is fake, but can still appreciate the effort that goes into it. We're not trying to throw shade on hunky gay influencers, but they will be the first to tell you that it's a job like any other and certainly not as glamourous as their carefully staged and edited photos make it seem.
So in conclusion, Instagays, we love you and your perfect bodies and lives in the same way that we love an exciting Sci-Fi movie. But when we log off, it's the real men with real bodies and real lives that truly drive us wild. In fact, these days, one of the hottest qualities a man can have is to be disengaged from social media! Like everything, it's all about balance. Now excuse me while I post a thirst trap from my vacation to Portugal... 😜
