“The constant jokes make me feel crap about myself”: A reflexive thematic analysis of boys’ experiences of appearance-related banter on Instagram.

Body talk plays a crucial role in body image development. It is highly gendered, yet few studies have examined body talk among boys. This study aims to understand boys’ experiences and perceptions of body talk on Instagram and to explore how these interactions contribute to their body image development. Nine boys aged between 13-17 years (M = 14.78; SD = 1.64) participated in in-depth, one-to-one qualitative interviews using the scroll-back technique. Reflexive thematic analysis generated three themes: (1) Everything is a joke; building relationships through banter, (2) Boys don’t do compliments; masculinity and the appearance culture, and (3) Banter is not always funny; the darker side of banter. Findings encapsulate the complex nature of boys’ online body talk, wherein humour – or ‘banter’ - is a central feature, and highlight how gender norms both influence and are reinforced by social media interactions. Implications and directions for future research are discussed, including strategies for overcoming challenges associated with involving boys in body image studies research.