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Gym Boys - Why Young Men Pump Iron

May 24, 2024

"Pretty people have it easier in life," says 15-year-old Moritz.

https://p.dw.com/p/4fTpA
Gym Boys - Why Young Men Pump Iron
Bodybuilding is a sport that is primarily about building muscles and achieving optimal body proportions.Image: WDR

When he posts a video of his body on social media for the first time at the age of 13, it takes a toll: Moritz is bullied at school and starts thinking he’s far too chubby.

Gym Boys - Why Young Men Pump Iron
Bodybuilders go to their limits to achieve the perfect body.Image: WDR

These days, does the path to masculinity lead straight through the gym? Are boys no longer allowed to be slim or chubby? For almost a year, the filmmakers follow five young men as they make their way from their childhood bedrooms onto social media and into the gym, documenting their journeys around body image and male identity.

Broadcasting Hours: 

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THU 05.09.2024 – 01:15 UTC
THU 05.09.2024 – 04:15 UTC
FRI 06.09.2024 – 09:15 UTC
FRI 06.09.2024 – 16:15 UTC
FRI 06.09.2024 – 21:15 UTC
SAT 07.09.2024 – 19:15 UTC
SUN 08.09.2024 – 02:15 UTC
MON 09.09.2024 – 12:15 UTC

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