Can we rethink what sexy is and where it comes from in time for summer? Daniel Lill says yes!
Is it time to banish the “beach body”? Hell, no! We all love checking out a hot body, but it may be time to rethink our ideas about the beach body and rethink our relationship to the beach body.
If you’ve read my work for DNA, you’ll know that I write about mental health. As a Mental Health First Aider and teacher who has worked for some time with teenagers, I know first-hand that our relationship with the person we see in the mirror can be about as raw as our mental health can be.
Social media is saturated with toned abs and big biceps but, in the last few years, another trend has emerged in the never-ending thirst traps of Instagram: the Dad Bod. The Dad Bod is, perhaps, the liberation many of us needed to see. The Dad Bod tells us that there is more than one kind of sexy. In fact, there are 8 billion kinds of sexy, and what you see in the mirror is one of those.
The Dad Bod is the liberation many of us needed to see.
DNA has always appealed to me because the cover models are hot, and the articles give us the rare opportunity to meet the man behind the model. But nothing is more attractive, in real life, than someone who is confident. Confidence is not only good for you, but it also inspires a sense of security in others. Sex appeal, in the three-dimensional real world, starts with self-confidence and a positive attitude.
You could use this swimwear season to show off your beach body, whether that be the buff beach bod, the dad beach bod, the slim beach bod, the chunky beach bod or the beach bod with a disability.
Changing our relationship with the beach body is not just a personal journey, it’s a societal shift that can benefit everyone. When we acknowledge and celebrate diversity, we create a world where people are free to be themselves without fear of judgment.
My advice is simple: as you read through this issue of DNA, enjoy every photo, but embrace your own beach body. Remember that briefs, trunks, shorts and thongs were invented for every body type. Walk down that beach with the confidence of David Hasselhoff. Or run in slow motion if you like!
If you feel that your relationship with your self-image is something that requires more support, reach out.
Support resources
- Lifeline.org.au – 13 11 14 (24/7 crisis support)
- Beyondblue.org.au – 1300 22 4636
- QLife.org.au – 1800 184 527
- Search “Queer and LGBTQI+ community support services in Australia” at ABC.net.au
- USA Telehealth: lgbtqtherapyspace.com
- UK Counselling: mind.org.uk
Image: ONEINCHPUNCH/AdobeStock
