Body building

Body building cannot be reduced to sexuality. Indeed, sex (appeal) may be irrelevant from a competitor's perspective given the intense physical demands of the sport. Nonetheless, body building is inseparable from the gender order and by association the social construction of sexualities cannot be ignored. This entry briefly considers the sexualized meanings associated with male and female body building, including possible stigma where “excessive” muscularity challenges normative ideals regarding how men and women should look.