HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT "SKINNY"?

megabyt23

I actually totally get what you're saying. Usually when I hear the word "skinny" in general, as opposed to fit or thin or something like that, it's in the context of being "too skinny." Now every time I hear skinny, I think grossly underweight.

capriciousmoon

I think it's odd how people see skinny or thin and think unhealthy/boney. Some people aren't fit/toned but that doesn't mean their body is bad or unhealthy.

But I just ignore comments about my body so people can call me skinny or fat all they want and I won't care. :flowerforyou:

MinimalistShoeAddict

black women take pride in being thick and black men love a thick woman

Some people consider skinny a compliment, others will be insulted by it. I don't think race needs to be part of the question. Many people do not fit that stereotype.

battyg13

Fit is the new skinny :-)

Chadomaniac

Fit is the new skinny :-)

This
The Old school skinny is miff

j6o4

Slender sounds better than skinny. Skinny sounds like you're small and weak, kinda fragile, and easy to break.

SurfyFriend

I like it when healthy and fit people say it in a good way
I don't like it when overweight folk spit the word out like its something evil and something to be ashamed of

lithezebra

"Fit" is a good thing to be, but it makes a terribly dry, unsexy compliment. I'd rather hear that my legs are beautiful, whatever that means, than fit. No one would call them skinny, but even that would be nicer than "fit."

avababy05

Since I lost weight people have referred to me as skinny.I'm not skinny.never have been,never will be.

I have hips and a chest and,since january some new found muscles.

I think what people mean is "not as fat as you were"

Skinny is not what I aspire to be and is usually a term used by my still unfit friends one of whom said "I hate you,you're so skinny"

Not really fond of the word but then there are a lot of words for fat I don't care for either.

ladyark

I hate the word skinny. When people tell me i am skinny i take just as much offense as when i was called fat. My goal is to be fit not skinny. So to me its a bad word lol

jess6742

I have had people call me "skinny" and I don't like it because I am not "skinny." I have large hips and legs. I know they mean it as a compliment but when I think of "skinny" I think of underweight models. Skinny can be beautiful as long as the person is healthy but I know I could not get there in a healthy way. I would much rather be called fit or even thin. Thin doesn't seem to have as many negative connotations.

Melissa11412

black women take pride in being thick and black men love a thick woman

Some people consider skinny a compliment, others will be insulted by it. I don't think race needs to be part of the question. Many people do not fit that stereotype.

yay this

Grumpelina

I prefer the word "tiny" to "skinny". The term skinny-fat and the idea of skinny models make the term skinny seem unhealthy to me. However, I want to be tiny! Growing up I was always bigger than EVERYONE. Sooooo. Tiny sounds awesome

I'm 5'11"

I could never be 'tiny'. I'm just as likely to grow a unicorn horn.

Dogwalkingirl

I don't really like the word either. I have never in my life been called skinny...and probably never will so it doesn't have much effect on me personally.

anniecrisis

Skinny is an ugly word, and here gets used either by the overweight to belittle those who are slim, or to mean underweight. I don't like "fit" either, because it implies fit for some sort of purpose - and if we're meaning someone who exercises, well, not all slim people do, so not all slim folks also look physically fit.
Thick I'd not use because in the UK that means stupid or unintelligent - and because I work in health, and have to address weight issues with people, I will use overweight or obese in a clinical setting - they are then technical terms with a clinical meaning. Otherwise I'll use curvy.

SteelySunshine

I prefer the word "tiny" to "skinny". The term skinny-fat and the idea of skinny models make the term skinny seem unhealthy to me. However, I want to be tiny! Growing up I was always bigger than EVERYONE. Sooooo. Tiny sounds awesome

I'm 5'11"

I could never be 'tiny'. I'm just as likely to grow a unicorn horn.

Same here. I have 7 inch wrists and very wide shoulders. I shudder to think how big my hips will still be when I hit my BF% goal.

kawickham85

i take 'skinny' as a compliment.

maundrelle

I like the word 'skinny.' I like the words 'curvy' and 'athletic.' 'Emaciated' has a bad connotation.

This. It's just a word. It used to annoy me, but then I realised I was getting in my own way if a simple word can make me recoil like that. These days, I am interested in "skinny" food, as long as it tastes good and it's healthy I wouldn't mind being called skinny, but I wouldn't call myself that. I'd like to think I am fit.

BinaryPulsar

Skinny is just a word. Sometimes people say to me things like "Look at you, you are skinny again" (said 7 months after I gave birth to my second baby). Or "That outfit looks so good on you because you are skinny" (when talking with another dancer about finding clothing to wear as the costume in performance). They meant it as a compliment. They meant, slender, fit, attractive, healthy, nice curves/small waist (usually it is my waist they are talking about).

Usually people don't call me skinny. But, when they do, I know they mean it as a compliment and do not have all of the negative connotation behind it that it has on mfp or in the fitness world. So, I accept it as they meant it, as a compliment. I'm not going to be an annoying, butthurt B, and not take a compliment or give them a lecture on the word. It is a word and it does not carry the weight that people on mfp think it does, honestly. I'm clearly not anywhere close to being overweight. And I am slender and fit. I also have a small frame.

But, it's not a word that I identify with or use to describe myself. And it's not a word I would use to describe someone else (unless it was part of the context of a conversation already in progress). I would dislike a person if they were saying it to me to insult my health, fitness or attractiveness. Just because I know that I am fit and healthy. But, I know most people are not thinking that way when they use the word. So, I don't make a big deal out of it. That doesn't mean I am pro-ana, or that I don't know about the negative connotation that has become associated with it or that I want to look unhealthy or unattractive. If you think about it, saying that skinny is universally an insult is body shaming. Now, skinny fat is something I would always consider an insult if someone called me that (because I'm not). No one has ever called me that. A lot of people have never even heard the term.

Legs_McGee

I've been called skinny my whole life. It doesn't bother me because in most cases it was meant as a compliment. But I prefer slim or slender or lean. "Lean" is my favorite

LaurenAOK

I feel the same as you, though I'm not black. To me, "skinny" seems "weak." I want to be fit and healthy, not just skinny. I've always had curves - I'm a pear shape and my but does NOT fit the rest of my body lol - so I don't think I could ever be truly "skinny." When people tell me I'm skinny or thin I just get confused because I know that I'm not! I'm fit, but I really don't think of myself as thin.

I know people mean well though so I try not to complain about it.

LaurenAOK

Examples.

To me, this is "skinny":



This is not:



I look a lot closer to the second one (though not nearly that good, yet, lol). And personally I'd rather look like the second one. But that's just personal preference.

kelsully

People can take any word and say it in a derogatory way. I have had people say "oh you run marathons" in a tone like "oh you bludgeon small animals for recreation" i have had people say "oh you run marathons" like "you must really train a lot and work hard...good for you"

I like how some people say skinny and I hate how other people say skinny.

Vivian06703188

That first girl belongs on an anorexia poster. She does not look well at all. If someone called me thick I'd be pissed and they would not like me much when I was finished telling them off. They might as well call you fat or stupid. Because if someone called you thick when I was a kid it meant you were stupid. It is funny seeing all the different thoughts on the same words. But tone does account of a lot in the comment. Its like the comment you have such a pretty face. When that is all that is said it is a definite insult. I think most of the time when people say you look skinny they mean it as a compliment especially if they know you have lost weight.

MireyGal76

If the person is insulting you... then it's an insulting word.
If they are complimenting you... then it's a complimentary one.

Instead of flagellating people for the words they use, look at the heart in which they are delivering their message.

If they are insulting you for getting in shape, shake your head and move on with pride that you are bettering yourself.
If they are congratulating you, even if it is in a ham handed way, then thank them and be proud of what you've done.

BinaryPulsar

That first girl belongs on an anorexia poster. She does not look well at all. If someone called me thick I'd be pissed and they would not like me much when I was finished telling them off. They might as well call you fat or stupid. Because if someone called you thick when I was a kid it meant you were stupid. It is funny seeing all the different thoughts on the same words. But tone does account of a lot in the comment. Its like the comment you have such a pretty face. When that is all that is said it is a definite insult. I think most of the time when people say you look skinny they mean it as a compliment especially if they know you have lost weight.

People tell me all the time that I have a pretty face or a beautiful face or even go into detail about what they like about my face. I always take it as a compliment. Sometimes people think if they tell me I am beautiful that I will think they are talking about my body, so they also will make a point to tell me that they think I have a beautiful face. I've never taken that as an insult, ever. Only a compliment that makes me happy. Maybe it's because I've always been slender and fit. I would never think a compliment on my face is an insult to my body. I feel that telling me I have a pretty face is more of a compliment than if they tell me I have a beautiful body (although I appreciate that very much as well). One time someone told me I was beautiful in Spanish. Another guy asked me if I knew what he said. I said, "He said I'm pretty". And he said, "That is not what he said. He said you are beautiful!". So, even the word pretty can be considered an insult by some people. Like they are saying you only have a pretty face and not brains (I guess). But, I never interpret that. I know that no one would ever think that about me. Not now. Perhaps some stranger could have that misconception when I was younger and very quiet/shy.

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BinaryPulsar

People call me skinny, slender, tiny...any other word to describe it. And those same people call me strong (both physically and emotionally/mentally). I just think it's a bit much to associate one word with so much negativity.

brower47

Skinny has always sounded underweight to me with thin and slender meaning more of an ideal. Funny how we use the same words but mean different things.

MrAllia

Someone told me that I was too skinny so I started weight training like an animal. the result is the same person said that I look good. I don't know why I sought her approval, I don know the the word Skinny alone does not have negative connotations until you precede it with the word "too". My $0.02