This guy's perspective.

Straight men don't want to be called gay, or laughed at. It's the absolutely worst thing ever. So it makes perfect sense to me that a guy would want his moobs reduced. Not really hard to understand. Straight guys just don't want to be perceived as gay - it's the worst possible insult. Especially if your body contradicts how you feel about yourself.

I'm so distressed by that ad.

Maybe it's the way you're phrasing it, spacekat... but how does having 'moobs' make one gay?

I think there is much more focus on women's bodies, so it's easy to dismiss the fact that men can feel insecure too. Sometimes I think my boyfriend is more self-conscious about his body than I am.

Maybe I wasn't clear, Pistil.

But having moobs doesn't MAKE up gay, but they can make you LOOK gay. And for a straight dude, LOOKING gay is jut bad hooch - an opening for other, bigger guys to make fun of you. And guys hate being made fun of.

But I think you have a point - guys can be really insecure about their looks, too - they just don't talk about it.

Dang - I should proofread these better before posting -

I meant to say, "But having moobs doesn't MAKE you gay, but it can make you LOOK gay."

I have no issue with them doing it - I am all for surgery to improve one's self esteem. Is also seems like a likely consequence of our culture of rampant obesity. I'd also guess that, due to the abundance of hormones in the foods we eat, that more guys suffer from gynomasteia.

I think a major difference is guys wouldn't waste time judging or gossiping about other guys that do it. I've been open on this forum before about having had by breasts augmented. I really dislike the frequent negativity I see for women that choose to have this done.

Also, Spacekatdude, that's a quite heteronormative attitude. What on earth is wrong with looking a little gay? You married me in part because I take being athletic so seriously. Yet, because I spend all that time at the gym, I sometimes have girls ask me out. It doesn't bother me at all.

There's a lot I admire about men, but this attitude seems a little childish.

SKG said: "I think a major difference is guys wouldn't waste time judging or gossiping about other guys that do it."

Nah - guys would do it very efficiently. One random passing comment in the middle of watching a football game - "Dude, your moobs make you look gay." A glancing blow that strikes at the heart and wounds for a lifetime.

Also, it's ok if you look a little gay. Not ok if I do.

JK - I'm so very very very straight I can wear shiney shirts as much as I want.

You're getting mauled by a puppy in your picture. That's a little gay.

Speaking of which... everybody thinks our little white fluffy poofy fuzzy little dog is a girl. But he's not - he's a guy. But he loves the attention he gets from looking like... well, a girl dog.

I hope you don't think I'm contradicting myself - because I'm not. Straight guys don't like to be perceived as gay. If I thought for a second that shiney shirts and long hair made anyone think I was gay, I'd stop doing it right off - but I think I can get away with it because I don't give off a gay vibe.

Unlike, say, our little white fluffy puppy. But he doesn't seem to care what people say about his sexual orientation.

That makes our puppy more evolved than say, the average dude. Which sounds about right.

I think a certain amount of femininity is really appealing in men. There's a reason I think all those very androgynous Final Fantasy guys are so cute. Also, being an emotional being is part of what makes you human - it's sad that male culture requires one to abstain from this. I think the culture of male machismo comes at the expense of your own humanity. Sucks for you.

"That makes our puppy more evolved than say, the average dude."

I'm not sure our puppy has a greater emotional range than the average dude. Our puppy basically only says, "Play with me!" and "Feed me!" A guy can also say, "Let's watch football!" That's 50% more range.

Guys have emotions. They really do. But we don't feel the need to noodle on them and talk about them over and over.

Dude, how do you feel? Uh, I feel ok. Work's going on, and Yankees won last night.

Any need to go over it over and over? No, not really.

You're not fooling anyone. I know how moved you were by the last Star Trek movie. And you've never watched a football game in the whole time I've been with you, Mr. Macho.

I'm going to go for my run, and we can go enjoy a nice day together. Let's take little Crash out for a nice day at Boston Commons! And maybe we can go see that Star Trek movie again in iMax tonight and go to the giant arcade.

Love you!
Bri

You're right - I don't really watch football. But I do sneak off when you're paying attention and check the score for the Wisconsin Badgers and Green Bay Packers - see, I'm not having an affair! I'm checking football scores.

Star Trek!!!! Whooohoooooo!!!!!!!

You two sound like a blast to hang with!!

Coming from a female that is very...ummm...gifted in the chesty area, I totally get the moob reduction. As for that ad, that is way too disturbing!!

Spacekatdude, you're just making yourself sound like an ass. Why'd you even bring your dog into this?

There wasn't even a mention of gay in the article. I think it just makes men insecure in bed and when approaching girls because of all the excess....moobs. Nothing gay involved, you shouldn't think someone is gay just because they have moobs.

Uhm wow! To all men who hate their moobs how about getting up off your arss and doing chest exercises three days a week which take no more than thirty minutes.

Why is this news? This isn't really surprising to me. Of course men who have moobs will want them gone or reduced.

Can't they just exercise? Isn't it just extra fat. It's not the same as a woman's boobs. I can understand them wanting to get rid of man-boobs, but is surgery necessary? I don't think it's any worse than any other cosmetic surgery. I just wouldn't want to spend the money if I didn't have to.

Cute man can holders!

The man-zierre/the bro anyone?

Wow... I love how this whole article just spun in a direction totally away from ground zero. First, it's really simple.... Men and women are very much alike in many ways except one major factor. Men..hold in their emotions and internalize where women, find comfort in expression. A man who is insecure about his moobs obviously cares about what others think and probably always will.. The real question is....does it really fricken matter? Love who are..all of you. If not, change it. But stop worrying whether or not someone is going to mistake you for being gay. Most gay men I know are pumped and ripped. You're probably referring to drag queens who WANT to look moobier. lol. Be a little bit more critical in your thinking guys. It's never all or nothing.

Some moobs are due to fat. Some men develop breast tissue that is difficult if not impossible to get rid of.
The surgery for many men is more along the lines of correcting a deformity. Society says women have breasts and men do not. If you are a man who has breasts that is abnormal and abnormality brings a heap of issues onto that persons life.