Selective Masculinity as an Emerging Phenomenon in Iran: A Study of Beauty Centers in Arak County

Introduction
This qualitative study investigates the emerging phenomenon of Iranian men's increasing use of beauty centers, framing it as a significant site for renegotiating masculine identity within a society in transition. Situated at the intersection of entrenched traditional values and pervasive modern, consumer-oriented influences, men's aesthetic practices are analyzed not as mere vanity but as complex acts of "identity bargaining." The research is prompted by observable trends, including global statistical increases in male cosmetic procedures and local evidence of rising demand in Iranian cities like Arak. It seeks to move beyond superficial consumption narratives to ask fundamental questions: How do men construct meaning around these beauty practices? What identity tensions arise between traditional masculine norms—which often prize indifference to appearance—and modern imperatives that treat attractiveness as a form of social and professional capital? The study positions itself within broader theoretical frameworks of the sociology of the body, gender studies (drawing on Connell's theories of masculinity), and consumer culture, while aiming to fill a gap in localized, non-Western analyses of male beauty and identity.
Method
The research adopts a qualitative, exploratory design grounded in the Classic Glaserian version of Grounded Theory. This methodology is chosen for its strength in generating theory directly from field data, allowing for the discovery of processes and meanings as constructed by the actors themselves. The study population consisted of men over 18 who had visited beauty centers in Arak at least once between 2021 and 2023. Data was collected through a triangulation of methods: in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 28 male clients, non-participant field observations within the centers, and content analysis of promotional materials (e.g., Instagram posts, brochures). Purposive sampling initiated the process, followed by theoretical sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. The data analysis rigorously followed the three-stage coding process intrinsic to Grounded Theory: open coding to generate initial concepts, axial coding to organize these concepts into broader categories and subcategories, and selective coding to integrate everything around a central, core category.
Findings
The core category that emerged from the analysis is "Selective Masculinity" . This concept captures the dynamic and strategic process through which men navigate the conflicting demands of traditional and modern masculine ideals. The findings are organized around several pivotal themes that illustrate this negotiation:
Diverse and Strategic Motivations: Men's reasons for visiting beauty centers were multifaceted. A primary motivation was the pursuit of social and professional capital, where an improved appearance was linked to career advancement and social credibility. Younger participants were heavily influenced by digital media standards, emulating idealized male looks from Instagram and celebrity culture. Another significant, and strategically crucial, motivation was the framing of beauty as health and self-care. Procedures like laser hair removal or skin treatments were justified not as "cosmetic" but as matters of hygiene, skincare, or preventative health, a strategy termed the "medicalization of beauty."
Navigating Identity Tension and Stigma: A central challenge for participants was managing the social stigma and fear of feminization. Many reported anxiety about being labelled "less of a man" for engaging in traditionally feminine-coded practices. To mitigate this, they employed deliberate discursive strategies. Beyond medicalization, they engaged in "blending traditional-modern traits," consciously combining modern attention to appearance with traditional markers of masculinity like being a financial provider or rational decision-maker. This created a "layered masculinity" that was more socially acceptable in the Iranian context.
The Influential Role of Class and Digital Media: The study highlighted how socio-economic class shaped this negotiation. Affluent men used access to luxury, advanced procedures (e.g., HIFU, hair transplants) as a marker of symbolic distinction and social status. In contrast, men with lower incomes were often limited to basic services, which they framed as a necessary "investment" for future mobility. Simultaneously, digital media, particularly Instagram, played a key role in normalizing male beauty consumption. Advertisements strategically portrayed aesthetic procedures as part of the identity of the "successful urban man," the "athlete," or the "family-oriented man," using slogans like "Be modern, remain a man!" to reduce cognitive dissonance.
The Paradigm Model: The research culminated in a paradigm model that visually maps the process of Selective Masculinity. Causal conditions (media pressures, job market expectations, health discourses) create a structural contradiction. This leads to the core phenomenon of men experiencing tension between social acceptance and preserving traditional gender identity. In response, men adopt strategies/actions (medicalization, concealment, blending traits). The consequences of these actions are the redefinition of masculinity as a dynamic identity, a gradual reduction in social stigma, and an increased rate of men visiting beauty centers. The model emphasizes that social class acts as a significant contextual and moderating variable throughout this entire process.
Conclusion
 The discussion synthesizes these findings, arguing that men's engagement with beauty centers in Iran represents a profound, agentive process of "identity bargaining" rather than passive conformity or simple rebellion. The concept of Selective Masculinity aligns with but also extends Connell's theory of multiple masculinities by highlighting the active, strategic selection and fusion of identity elements from competing discourses. The strategic "medicalization of beauty" finds resonance in global trends where men legitimize aesthetic work through health frameworks, as noted in international systematic reviews (Morison & Whitehead, 2021). Similarly, the class-based consumption patterns echo studies from other developing contexts, where global beauty culture interacts with local social hierarchies (Elias & Gill, 2020).The study concludes that the male body in contemporary Iran has become a "field of negotiation." Here, bodily capital is sought to enhance social and professional standing, but its acquisition must be carefully managed to avoid devaluing traditional gender capital. The research provides a novel understanding of masculine transformation in transitional societies, moving beyond a simple East-West or tradition-modernity binary. It reveals the sophisticated adaptive mechanisms men employ to reconcile contradictory expectations.The practical implications are significant. The findings call for a rethinking of cultural policy discourses to better reflect the evolving realities of male identity and consumption. Furthermore, they highlight the necessity for the beauty industry itself to redesign its services and marketing to sensitively address the specific needs, motivations, and challenges faced by its growing male clientele, particularly within culturally specific contexts like Iran. Ultimately, this study contributes a nuanced, empirically grounded perspective to the global conversation on the changing landscapes of masculinity in the 21st century.