Is this Protein World ad body shaming?
Replies
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I don't think it is body shaming, but it doesn't really inspire me, either. I am short and broadly built and I've had two kids and I work a very demanding job - I can get into better shape, but I will never look like that (nor do I really aspire to). And it looks to me like she has had breast implants, in addition to the Photoshopping, but that is neither here nor there, really.
At my age (41), I don't really give a damn about whether or not anyone is checking me out at the beach. As long as I like myself, feel healthy, and my husband finds me attractive, I am good.0 -
It's interesting how nobody here on the Fitness and Exercise board considers this ad to be bodyshaming.
I think that's significant. People who are insecure or who don't do much to take care of themselves will be more likely to express outrage. I suspect that people who focus heavily on weight loss as opposed to fitness (yes, there's a fine distinction) will also be more likely to take offense, though to a lesser degree.
In contrast, people who value physical fitness will tend to view these ads as aspirational, representing a goal that they are willing to work hard toward. They are therefore less likely to read superfluous, nonsensical messages into the ad, e.g. "Unless you look like this, you don't belong on the beach."0 -
teagirlmedium wrote: »I do not have a problem with the add itself. I have a problem with what Katie said and that the company was happy she agreed with them, which to me says that they agree with what she said.
Actually, they said that they welcome the support, but that they don't endorse what she said.
I wholeheartedly agree that some of their tweeted responses were needlessly insulting. Given the ridiculous objections that their critics raised though, I can't fault them too much for responding in a less than diplomatic fashion. I'm not trying to justify their wording; I'm just saying that I understand why they responded with a bit of snark.I do not think people should me messing up the advertisement, but insulting the people who signed the petition is not making me look favorably on the company.
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I don't think it is body shaming, but it doesn't really inspire me, either. I am short and broadly built and I've had two kids and I work a very demanding job - I can get into better shape, but I will never look like that (nor do I really aspire to). And it looks to me like she has had breast implants, in addition to the Photoshopping, but that is neither here nor there, really.
At my age (41), I don't really give a damn about whether or not anyone is checking me out at the beach. As long as I like myself, feel healthy, and my husband finds me attractive, I am good.
I like this perspective.
I've never felt shamed or "less than" due to advertisements or the media in general. I might see a woman and think she has great legs or arms and wonder what exercise she does or how long she's been doing it, but it doesn't make me feel bad about myself. And it wouldn't even if it there was a caption stating "you are a cow compared to this woman" under her picture. I just try to be the best me I can be and don't worry about how others look.0 -
I think one of the things that annoys people about it is it's everywhere...I feel I can't escape it. It's at every exit at the tube stations I use the most. It's in the trains. It stares at me when I go about my day, when I go to the gym, or spinning class, or to dinner. To say it's jealousy/bitterness/PC-gone-wild ignores that there's tremendous pressure on women to look physically perfect with very little leeway. Sure, I'm an adult woman and I can almost ignore it, but I can't say that images like these don't influence what people expect of an average woman. Just like we all have access to the internet and aren't at the mercy of Murdoch corp. but I can't say that traditional news media doesn't influence our perspective on the world.
Saying 'are you beach body ready' also suggests that there's a point at which your body is not ready. That your body isn't beach okay. Sure it's not explicitly stated that you have to look like her. But come on.
I think many of us have already bought into the beauty myth -- and the health myth. That healthy women look a certain way and that way conforms to what we think of as physically attractive. Me included -- hey, that's why I'm here. I hate seeing that poster every time I take the train but some part of me thinks: surely, this is why I go spinning 5x a week and run and yoga...and...and...
To fall into the narrow space where my body is considered visually acceptable. I hate and resent that fitness and food aren't solely about health and what your body can do, but also about attractiveness. I hate feeling like I have to be beautiful, that to go to the beach my body has to be 'ready'. Not ready to enjoy the beach, but ready to be viewed.
Honestly sometimes I think the line between what is acceptable and what is disordered is beginning to blur a bit. Is avoiding carbs for the rest of your life okay? What about constantly double-booking spinning classes? What about doing yoga, barre and hardcore cardio classes 5x a week? At what point can we say that we're expecting too much, that there is an unreasonable pressure on adult women to, yes, be 'beach body ready', or is it always verboten, under the guise of good health and the obesity epidemic.
Again, to be honest, I doubt that this ad is gonna appeal to anyone who's actually, truly obese and inspire them to be all healthy and *kitten*. Part of the reason I find the ad just about palatable is I'm about 10 lbs and a few deadlifts away from being almost 'beach body ready' -- though not quite at photoshop level. But. I mean. This is an ad for whey protein and nutritional supplements, not a 'healthy lifestyle'.
That said, there's lots of other, women's rights related protests happening in London soon that I'd like to see more people show up to than this.0 -
I don't agree with that. The ad didn't ask, "Is your body beach-ready?" Rather, it asked, "Are YOU beach ready?" (Emphasis added.)Saying 'are you beach body ready' also suggests that there's a point at which your body is not ready. That your body isn't beach okay. Sure it's not explicitly stated that you have to look like her. But come on.
I think this distinction is critical. The ad doesn't say that everyone must be slender if they want to hit the beach. Rather, it's an implicit acknowledgement that a lot of us would prefer to look fit before wearing swimwear in public -- or at least, better than we currently are. If they're not quite ready to don a bathing suit, then this vendor is offering a means toward an end.
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@spartan_d: I don't agree with your interpretation of it. To me are you beach ready, with the helpful image of the model definitely suggests that there's a certain type of body that is beach ready. You're right that we already implicitly acknowledge and accept what that type of body is. There should be no reason why any of us should be uneasy about going to the beach and that suggests an issue we already have about what type of body is acceptable.0
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Honestly, I can see everyone's point of view. Here's mine. When I saw that poster I felt the usual emotions. Jealousy, wistfulness, interest, excitement about summer. But this is how it works with me, as I'm a perfectionist, it has got me even more motivated to lose the 3/4 comfort eating pounds I've gained by being weak and lazy the last two or three months. Does that sound hard? I had my heart broken and I started analysis again. It's friggin hard. But I know I can look as good as that if I try. I have spent the last 3 years of my life on beaches, in a bikini, feeling proud and excited about my body. I'm 44. My body is amazing because I'm tough on myself and I have no time for self pity.
Interested to hear your replies!0 -
No one has to avoid carbs, cutting out a macronutrient does not sound like a healthy idea...Honestly sometimes I think the line between what is acceptable and what is disordered is beginning to blur a bit. Is avoiding carbs for the rest of your life okay? What about constantly double-booking spinning classes? What about doing yoga, barre and hardcore cardio classes 5x a week? At what point can we say that we're expecting too much, that there is an unreasonable pressure on adult women to, yes, be 'beach body ready', or is it always verboten, under the guise of good health and the obesity epidemic.
Exercising 5 times a week doesn't sound like expecting too much in my book. I'm sure most of us did it in high school and it didn't seem like too much back then. Why is it any different now? Sure it's a bit harder to carve out the time with increased responsibilities of being an adult but if you prioritize then it's very doable.0 -
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It's interesting how nobody here on the Fitness and Exercise board considers this ad to be bodyshaming.
I think that's significant. People who are insecure or who don't do much to take care of themselves will be more likely to express outrage. I suspect that people who focus heavily on weight loss as opposed to fitness (yes, there's a fine distinction) will also be more likely to take offense, though to a lesser degree.
In contrast, people who value physical fitness will tend to view these ads as aspirational, representing a goal that they are willing to work hard toward. They are therefore less likely to read superfluous, nonsensical messages into the ad, e.g. "Unless you look like this, you don't belong on the beach."
I started out at 318 and am currently 242. I am by no means in any sort of shape to be walking around the beach in a bikini and I didn't give this ad a second glance. Doesn't bother me. It wouldn't have bothered me at 318 either. I don't think it's body shaming at all. If it had shown a picture of a larger woman and said, "Do you think she's beach ready?" then maybe. Well then yes, I would consider it to be making fun of bigger people. But that wasn't the case. I dunno, just my opinion.
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I don't think it is body shaming, but it doesn't really inspire me, either. I am short and broadly built and I've had two kids and I work a very demanding job - I can get into better shape, but I will never look like that (nor do I really aspire to). And it looks to me like she has had breast implants, in addition to the Photoshopping, but that is neither here nor there, really.
At my age (41), I don't really give a damn about whether or not anyone is checking me out at the beach. As long as I like myself, feel healthy, and my husband finds me attractive, I am good.
I'm in amazing shape and have never looked better (I look damn hot if I do say so myself) and I'll never look like that either.
People need to get off the idea of looking like someone else as an ideal- and look the best THEY can- there is no reason you still can't look amazing. It has nothing to do with "real women will never look like that" no one will- she's her own human personage.0 -
People need to get off the idea of looking like someone else as an ideal- and look the best THEY can- there is no reason you still can't look amazing. It has nothing to do with "real women will never look like that" no one will- she's her own human personage.
This. Every woman's body IS different and there are all sorts of different bodies that are "beach ready."
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I would say this is my all time favorite.
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Persons-of-heft-protest-health-club-s-ad-3305257.php
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I don't necessarily find it to be body shaming, as it's not directly pointing out and speaking against certain features/types of bodies.
It does speak more subtly to what we as a culture finds attractive, but that's a more neutral issue to me.0 -
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Oh god, something else for people to "Trigger" on. I swear that has become the new buzz word. The world has no care for what triggers a person. It is up to the person to grow stronger (Physically and mentally) to deal with it.0
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kmsoucy457 wrote: »Generally no. Except that this already beautiful woman has been photoshopped to high heaven! So it's body shaming in the respect that they are selling the unattainable. That is my only issue.
Why do you say she's been edited? The guy from the company on Radio 2 today swears she wasn't. I can't see that it's been obviously edited.0 -
I wouldn't even have looked at this ad twice or be mad over "beach body ready"?? That phrase is everywhere!! Skinny, photo shopped model ads...everywhere. Models don't even look like themselves in ads like this. Body shaming by big companies to make money...hmmm...seems like a pretty normal ad to me.0
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KentWhiteRabbit wrote: »kmsoucy457 wrote: »Generally no. Except that this already beautiful woman has been photoshopped to high heaven! So it's body shaming in the respect that they are selling the unattainable. That is my only issue.
Why do you say she's been edited? The guy from the company on Radio 2 today swears she wasn't. I can't see that it's been obviously edited.
If she has been photoshopped they've done a good job, she looks pretty much the same on the photos on her website.
http://www.reneesomerfield.com.au/#!gallery/c1ogl
I think there would have some touching up, but not whole sale photo shopping.0 -
Here's the thing...I think to be beach body ready takes two steps...1. have a body 2. go to the beach...people should be comfortable in their skin no matter what...skinny, fat, muscly, 3 armed and purple I don't care. I am here to help improve my health as well as my own body image...so from the perspective of someone working toward a better body I could care less who they put on billboards or whatever.
That girl up there worked hard to look that way...she doesn't deserve to be shamed because she is a smaller size than the average person.
Honestly I am a little exhausted from the constant negativity surrounding any sort of body image...thin models are fat shaming...ads promoting accepting a fuller figure are promoting obesity...blah blah blah.
I honestly just thing that everyone needs to stop being so negative. Thin people are beautiful...fat people are beautiful...and everything in-between. Focus on the good and it will make the world a better place.0 -
I am reminded how "bad breath" and "halitosis" were concepts invented by Listerine ads early in the 20th century. This is just an updated version of the oldest ploy in the advertising business- invent an insecurity and then sell the "remedy."
So- I guess I find it obnoxious but not offensive or shaming.0 -
I don't find it body shaming. The articles I've read on this has the company mentioning the minority that is offended by this ad. Many people comment on how this is what the large portion of society deems is attractive. Does anyone think about the men/women who do NOT find these kinds of bodies attractive? There are people who prefer and are attracted to larger bodies. They are constantly bombarded with photos and ads filled with people that are gross/unattractive to them. What about offending those people?
I mean if we're going to get all butthurt about something, shouldn't we look at how offensive it is from ALL angles?
I, personally, don't see the point in worrying about it. There are many in the 'I'm offended by this' group that would actually NOT say that they themselves were hurt or offended by it and would say they were thinking about how 'other people' would feel looking at that ad. They won't even admit to themselves that they have it within their power to change how they feel about their own bodies.
I control how I feel about something I see and how I feel about myself.
"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." -Eleanor Roosevelt0 -
It's interesting how nobody here on the Fitness and Exercise board considers this ad to be bodyshaming.
I think that's significant. People who are insecure or who don't do much to take care of themselves will be more likely to express outrage. I suspect that people who focus heavily on weight loss as opposed to fitness (yes, there's a fine distinction) will also be more likely to take offense, though to a lesser degree.
In contrast, people who value physical fitness will tend to view these ads as aspirational, representing a goal that they are willing to work hard toward. They are therefore less likely to read superfluous, nonsensical messages into the ad, e.g. "Unless you look like this, you don't belong on the beach."
This is a very good point. Everyone draw straws to see who has to sack up and post this same question on the weight loss board so we can compare.
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This is stupid, in my personal opinion. People need to stop being so sensitive. If you're not happy with your body, stop judging other people and do something about it. If you are happy with your body or working on a better you, you probably could care less about this ad! Good for you. It wouldn't matter who they put up there, insecure people would throw a fit no matter what.
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And they wonder why so many young children of our generation have eating disorders!
I'm not to fussed about the advert but to me (in my opinion) it was saying you have to have a body like that to hit the beach! I'm an adult and comfortable in my own skin but a vulnerable young girl/boy who are constantly bombarded with the "perfect" body images everyday might not be so comfortable!
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I personally find it offensive that only blondes are considered beach worthy. I should not have to dye my hair just to adhere to some kind of societal pressure.
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