Certámenes de belleza y representación masculina. Caso: Rey del Ecuador en Instagram.

Abstract

The first international male beauty pageant was Manhunt International in 1993, followed by others such as Mister International (1993), Mister Global (2014), and Mister Supranational (2016). In Ecuador, these pageants began in 2019, when Nicolás Asana, representative of Pichincha, won the national competition Mister Supranational Ecuador and subsequently represented the country at Mister Supranational 2019 in Poland, where he placed among the semifinalists and received the distinction of Continental Winner. Male beauty contests not only showcase meticulously sculpted bodies, but also reproduce narratives about what masculinity means in contemporary society. As a result, these pageants have become platforms of constant growth and visibility. This article examines the visual and discursive elements that shape these new perspectives on masculinities, using the social network Instagram of the organization Rey de Ecuador as a case study to conduct a content analysis of images during the years 2022 and 2023