This article was published on April 4th, 2018

What is it about muscles that gay guys just can’t get enough of? The idea of male beauty enhanced by muscle has been etched in stone since the times of Michelangelo and before. But is muscle worship really all that it’s cracked up to be? While there is a constant complaint within the gay community that the muscle body obsession is often unobtainable, that certainly hasn’t stopped anyone from lusting after muscles and wanting to get swoll, bro. Muscle worship: friend or foe?

First and foremost: muscle worship is not a new thing. Since the days of the first Olympics when ripped, lean athletes would compete in the nude for physical glory, muscles have been exemplary of strength, fortitude, and power. Men used their strength and muscles to dominate women and other men, and have been doing so since the dawn of time. So, gay men’s total j’adoration of guys with guns should come as no surprise to anyone that knows history. Some of the greatest artworks ever created depict historical male figures as muscly epic gods. So, it is of no coincidence that gay men tend to gravitate towards being attracted to beefcake.

But is all this infatuation with muscle leading gay men towards the road to depression? Sure, a worked-out body is obtainable with the right amount of exercise in combination with a strictly enforced diet. But genetics definitely plays a role in how easily it is for gay guys to get yoked. Some of us are just pre-dispositioned to put on and keep muscle easier than others.

So, a reality is that many gay men end up trying to chase after something that isn’t always even obtainable for themselves. Unless your DNA has it in the cards for you that you are destined to be lean with muscle, you probably end up struggling with some of the issues many men feel all the time in regards building muscle. Not everyone working out is destined to look like Chris Hemsworth. And that’s ok.

In short, it’s fine to lust after cut men and worship muscle, just be realistic with yourself about how that muscle was developed. It takes months and years to get fit and ripped—definitely not something that just occurs overnight. And if you are only looking to hook up with and date guys with muscle, remember that to strive to be the guy you want to date first, because the chances are that said muscle stud will also be looking for someone with muscle. Just don’t be too hard on yourself trying to mold your body into perfection. You’re already great just the way you are, muscle worship or not.