This phrase evokes a very specific, nostalgic, and humorous scenario for anyone who grew up with certain European youth culture touchstones—particularly the German magazine Bravo and its iconic advice column, Dr. Sommer . It captures the bravado, awkwardness, and camaraderie of teenage boyhood.
The was a multi-page survey. Each issue, they would pick an average (non-famous) teenager—usually a boy—and put him under a microscope, both literally and metaphorically. The Bodycheck included:
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The participants were not professional models; they were everyday BRAVO readers .
Reader letters, explicit advice, and text-focused education. Pioneer era of public sex education; highly controversial. That's Me! 14–20 (later 16–20) Bravo dr sommer bodycheck thats me boys
and happens to about half of all boys due to hormone shifts. It almost always goes away on its own! 5. The "Down There" Check
: Vintage issues documenting this cultural shift are available on the Internet Archive BRAVO Collection and the official BRAVO-Archiv Portal .
This era predates the rise of social media, where youth now curate their own identities. In the past, mainstream publications often held a monopoly on defining what was considered "normal" or "healthy" development.
Unlike traditional magazine models or early internet adult entertainment, BRAVO intentionally avoided hiring professional fitness models. The boys featured in "That's Me" represented a wide spectrum of normal human anatomy. Readers saw peers with different body fat percentages, varying muscle definition, natural asymmetry, varying stages of pubertal development, and diverse distributions of body hair. 2. Normalizing Anatomical Differences This phrase evokes a very specific, nostalgic, and
: Originally, models aged 14 to 20 could volunteer with strict parental consent. In the early 2000s, the age floor was raised to 16, and with the rebranding to "Bodycheck" in the 2010s, it was restricted strictly to individuals aged 18 to 25 .
+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | BRAVO "THAT'S ME" | +------------------------------+------------------------------+ | GIRLS' PAGE | BOYS' PAGE | | • Real, unedited photo | • Real, unedited photo | | • Discussion on puberty | • Discussion on growth | | • Body neutrality focus | • Overcoming insecurities | | • Q&A about sexuality | • Q&A about first times | +------------------------------+------------------------------+ 2. Educational Purpose and Positive Impact
Questions have been raised about the long-term implications of consent provided by adolescents. Some historical reports suggest that participants may not have fully grasped the permanent nature of print media or the extent of the public reach their personal images would achieve.
"Das bin ich!" ("That's me!") was the proud declaration printed next to the photos in the magazine. For many boys, seeing the "Bodycheck" (or secretly hoping to one day be in it) was a right of passage. The phrase "thats me boys" captures that blend of youthful arrogance, group identity, and the universal teenage desire to be noticed and affirmed. The was a multi-page survey
For decades, BRAVO Magazine served as the definitive manual for youth culture, music, and adolescent development across German-speaking Europe. Launched in 1956, its most transformative milestone came in 1969 with the introduction of the advice column. Under the initial guidance of psychotherapist Martin Goldstein, the column shattered post-war social taboos by answering teenagers' questions about puberty, anatomy, and relationships using clear, clinical, yet non-judgmental language.
Just laugh it off! Even the biggest rockstars went through the "squeak" phase. 4. Muscle & Shape
From the 1970s until the early 2010s, the German youth magazine Bravo ran one of the most famous columns in publishing history: (later “Dr. Sommer & Team”). It was an advice column dedicated to love, sexuality, puberty, and relationships. For millions of teenagers who had no one else to ask, Dr. Sommer was a lifeline.
As societal views shifted and international legal landscapes grew complex, BRAVO modernized the feature into . While the core mission remained body positivity and real-life education, the format adapted. The imagery moved toward a cleaner, fitness-oriented aesthetic that mirrored mainstream health magazines while maintaining open conversations about natural physical flaws, stretch marks, and growth patterns. 3. The Changing Landscape of Legal and Social Compliance
