The gay world is so competitive about how you look, and there’s a lot of competition out there. Because being gay can be so focused on looks, it’s often hard to concentrate on other parts of your life, like relationships or work. It can affect personal and professional growth and act as a roadblock if you let it consume you. Walk into my gym, or others like it, and you can see the sharp increase in the amount of people taking steroids and other growth hormones. JH: Why do you think MD is such a major problem in the gay community?ĭ: MD, in my opinion, is the most widespread, under-diagnosed, and misunderstood disease to hit the gay community since AIDS. The following interview focuses on MD, as experienced through the eyes of one member of the gay community.
Speaking Out: Muscle Dysmorphia in the Gay CommunityĪccording to Derek (not his real name), an extremely fit-looking 30-year-old corporate manager whose interview follows below, Muscle Dysmorphia (MD) is “perhaps the most serious problem facing gay men aside from HIV/AIDS.” He is not only passionate regarding sharing his own experiences to help others, but also about raising awareness regarding this significant issue for his community.*Ī great deal of information about MD and BDD may be found throughout this website.
