See Me, Touch Me, Feel Me: Improving the Bodily Sense of Masculinity

This paper explored the intersection of two cultural trends in self-improvement advertising aimed at men: the emergence of the "new man" in the mid-1980s, characterized by the visibility of masculine bodies, and the rise of body-altering technologies. These trends were reflected in advertisements for products and procedures that enhance masculinity, which not only mirrored societal trends but also played a role in convincing consumers of their necessity. The study highlighted how these advertisements functioned as part of a modern normalizing machinery of power, particularly in reinforcing gender relations and portraying idealized masculinities, similar to the impact seen in the perception and production of femininity.