The sheer number of beautiful, toned and tanned beach bodies can make any gay man think to himself, “Yummy!” And I must admit that this Christian guy enjoys the scenery just as much as anyone else.

But the eye candy isn’t only at the beach or bars. It’s in print too. Open up and browse through any of the local gay magazines and you’ll find photos some call risqué, while others describe as trash, but all are easy on the eye. 

Well, after being overwhelmed with this “in the scene” culture, I’ll be honest and say that it began to affect me. I started going to the gym every day, more than my usual routine of three times a week. I wanted washboard abs so I could be the object of everyone’s lustful passions.

Mind you - I’ve been in good shape all my life. I’m thin and, thanks to my Chicano heritage, I’ve got a nice tan – au natural. But living in south Florida, it just doesn’t seem enough.

The subliminal, yet obvious message that one needs to have an ultra toned and ripped body in order to keep up with the gay South Florida standard actually began chipping away at my self-image. I needed to be in great shape because being in good shape wasn’t good enough. I needed to have a hot body like the misplaced semi-nude guy in every weekly classified ad in most gay publications (Does a furniture ad really need a muscle boy in it…really?). In short, being who I am wasn’t good enough, and there is where I erred. I was beautifying myself in order to appease a deprecated self-image.

Sure working out helps us feel good about ourselves, but we can’t truly better ourselves unless we first accept ourselves. As a spiritual guy myself, I believe that God accepts us and loves us for who we are and so, I believe we too must accept and love ourselves for who we are.

Now, do I think it’s wrong to admire the chiseled bodies that gay men work so hard for? No. Am I saying it’s a sin to tan and work out religiously in order to achieve the most aesthetically pleasing body imaginable? Absolutely not! But if we do so from the sinful premise that we are somehow deficient, we will never be content with our bodies or ourselves. 

Michael Diaz is the Clergy Intern at the Sunshine Cathedral MCC, a progressive, inclusive church open to all people, regardless of theological background, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, age, or ability. To communicate directly with Diaz please email him at bendigachicano@yahoo.com