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TORONTO — Normally, nude men in subway stations make for a different kind of news story, however a recent media campaign launched by Egale Canada Human Rights Trust, funded by the Movember Foundation Canada has men displayed in their birthday suits in ads found on some of Toronto’s busiest subway platforms.
The men in the ads are all volunteers, hailing from Toronto’s gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (GBTQ) communities. They volunteered to be ambassadors for Egale’s m.bodiment campaign—a project designed to challenge narrow depictions and stereotypes associated with the bodies of GBTQ men. The participating men are of diverse age, size, ethnicity, ability, and gender-identity, each posing for the campaign with their own personal stake in the cause.
A recent survey, conducted by Egale illustrates that fat-phobia, body shaming, and discrimination based on appearance are detrimental to a person’s self-esteem, and in turn a potential danger to their health. “I don’t fit the image of the pretty boy”, expresses one ambassador. “I’m older. I’m fatter.”
With over 73% of GBTQ men reporting they have been rejected entirely based on their physical appearance, Egale is determined to open a dialogue about gay, bi, trans, and queer men’s body image in the name of mental health and general health and wellness.
The ad campaign refers viewers to the project’s website, m.bodiment.ca, which acts a hub for GBTQ men, and addresses GBTQ body health at length, through photo galleries, blogs, infographics, resources, message boards, and a highly personal video series shot during the subway ad photo shoot. While the subway ads will remain in place until November, 2015, the website will remain active for at least two years.
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[button id=”” style=”” color=”trans” type=”large” size=”large” href=”https://www.cvent.com/events/m-bodiment-launch/registration-d4bf8a4a881147028f9ea7231234484a.aspx” align=”center” target=”_self”]RSVP here for the m.bodiment campaign launch[/button]
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