That is not to say that Men’s Health does not contain useful health information.
It does. An article in the July/August (2000, 34) issue, for example,
describes what to do when calf muscles cramp up. This is useful advice with a
health goal and no particular political agenda. However, in a significant number
of cases, the presentation of health goals simultaneously reinforces hegemonic
masculinity and the unhealthy behavior associated with it. Lifestyle
articles not specifically about health further contribute to this by directly
encouraging unhealthy behavior. An example is the article about what to
bring to the football game: “Bring 2 ½ beers per hour per person. . . . Plan on
two or three hot dogs, burgers or sausages per person” (October 2000, 54).