Several outlets report on a trend in which people increasingly pursue extreme body appearance goals—covering both men seeking a more imposing look and women becoming noticeably thinner. The articles describe this as part of a broader “zeitgeist” in which social media and performance-oriented beauty standards drive body-focused behaviors.
The coverage cites that men are encouraged to “looksmaxx,” including through the use of peptides or other methods to alter appearance toward a more muscular or imposing physique. It contrasts this with women, the articles say, where mainstream visibility and influencer culture are associated with more skeletal body ideals. One recurring example mentioned is Ariana Grande.
Across the sources, the emphasis is similar: they frame the trend as a cultural pattern rather than a single isolated incident. However, the outlets vary mainly in tone and framing, with the underlying claim remaining that both directions of body extreme—greater size for men and greater thinness for women—are portrayed as increasingly normalized.
