Have you heard about the new telehealth startups pitching GLP-1s specifically to men? The New York Times has, and they recently asked the question, “Is the Era of ‘Brozempic’ Upon Us?” Ugh. Two companies, Fella Health, and Blokes are using masculine stereotypes and “brolanguage” to market weight loss. According to Emily Contois, an associate professor of media studies at the University of Tulsa, the very idea of losing weight outside the confines of sports or exercise is gendered. “Weight loss has been understood as feminine and feminizing.” So, dudes are so shallow that if it’s wrapped in fist bumps and man hugs, we are in? Double Ugh.
Man Hugs. 🙄 For me, there isn’t much that is more annoying than the genderization of things. Things don’t have a gender. Why do we have to masculinize words/things? Brozempic? Come on. I suppose I may be ultra-sensitive to this issue because for the last 40 years I have had to listen to the taunts and snide remarks about my Man Bag or Murse. I gag writing that. Yes, I have carried a purse (are you giggling???) since I was 20. Growing up, my mom had her bag she carried her stuff in and that seemed practical to me. My dad? He would give his stuff to my mom to carry. What’s that all about?? I’ll just get my own. Who knew people would be weird about it. It’s just a bag.
Do you think I am getting worked up about nothing? Maybe you are cool with these portmanteaus. It’s fun, no big deal. Well, if you are thinking that I bet you are probably a brogrammer working from your man cave, wearing mandals, sporting some guyliner and a man bun. I am curious, do brogrammers write brocode?? Or maybe you are just more evolved than me and I coming off as a big mansplainer. I hope not, is there anything worse?? Interestingly, I have been easy to rant these days. Being sixty, it could be all chemical. The big change. You know manopause.
It’s silly, right? Do you think these words serve a purpose? Or do they make it safe for men to do or use things “society” has determined are feminine? Silly as it may be, I think the use of this language perpetuates the conditioning and stereotypes that aren’t always culturally (or individually) healthy. What do you think? Thanks for reading. Big day for me. I have 3 college friends coming to town. After 40 years, our bromance is still going strong! I think the plan is to do some mandates, play some golf, and maybe do a little broga. Silly, isn’t it?