Observations on Body Shaming

saxmaniac

My only comment on that would be, I find that people often critique the "skipping leg day" crew because a large consensus would agree it's not smart to do; overtraining certain body parts over others can result in literally throwing the body off balance, increase in injuries, etc. etc. I don't think it's necessarily a, "You look bad with big arms and skinny legs!" it's more of a, "It's very visible to us that you might not know as much about strength training as you say you do" as, falling back on stereotypes here, "bros" tend to do.

Otherwise, I'm 100% behind the "It's just as body shaming to make fun of skinny."

Good post, and I hope it keeps getting bumped in light of the 2-3 body shaming posts we have a day here...

I see it two ways.

1. Some people are oversensitive and go nuts on "shaming", when it's really an observation, fact, or opinion, you say above. Sometimes it's a trap: "do you like abs on women?" "No, it seems too manly to me" "BODY SHAMER!" Well, why the hell did you ask?

2. Some people do feel free to body-shame, but only if it's a pre-approved group that's OK to mock.

Often, they're the same people.

jofjltncb6

My point is that an opinion CAN be mean,rude,unfair, whatever you wanna call it.

Everyone expresses their opinion in different ways

Whatever helps you sleep at night. An opinion does not have to be mean, unfair, blah blah blah... and if that's the only way one can express an opinion than perhaps they should re-evalutate themselves or STFU.

Well...that was rude.


ETA: Not that I necessarily disagree with the message. Honestly, I stopped keeping up with this thread when it went off the rails.

perfectingpatti

I don't think most times that people are specifically setting out to insult the person directly

When you're looking at a pic of someone they posted as a success story for themselves and then say what you don't like about their body, that's pretty direct.

If someone asks for opinions, that's very different. It's always okay to give your honest opinion when asked, but you don't have to be an @ss about it. You can say, "I'm not into hairy chested guys" and avoid saying, "Ewwwww, I find hairy chested guys disgusting because they smell". See the difference?

PinkyKiwii

My point is that an opinion CAN be mean,rude,unfair, whatever you wanna call it.

Everyone expresses their opinion in different ways

Whatever helps you sleep at night. An opinion does not have to be mean, unfair, blah blah blah... and if that's the only way one can express an opinion than perhaps they should re-evalutate themselves or STFU.

Well...that was rude.

My thoughts exactly

k8blujay2

My point is that an opinion CAN be mean,rude,unfair, whatever you wanna call it.

Everyone expresses their opinion in different ways

Whatever helps you sleep at night. An opinion does not have to be mean, unfair, blah blah blah... and if that's the only way one can express an opinion than perhaps they should re-evalutate themselves or STFU.

Well...that was rude.


ETA: Not that I necessarily disagree with the message. Honestly, I stopped keeping up with this thread when it went off the rails.

*hangs head in shame* maybe a bit... I am tired of people using the cop-out of "it's the internet" therefore I can say whatever I want to be mean and vindictive towards individuals....

PinkyKiwii

My point is that an opinion CAN be mean,rude,unfair, whatever you wanna call it.

Everyone expresses their opinion in different ways

Whatever helps you sleep at night. An opinion does not have to be mean, unfair, blah blah blah... and if that's the only way one can express an opinion than perhaps they should re-evalutate themselves or STFU.

Well...that was rude.


ETA: Not that I necessarily disagree with the message. Honestly, I stopped keeping up with this thread when it went off the rails.

*hangs head in shame* maybe a bit... I am tired of people using the cop-out of "it's the internet" therefore I can say whatever I want to be mean and vindictive towards individuals....

LOL What was I just saying for the past half hour?

Some people are MEAN offline too, so its not "just the internet".

I give up.

perfectingpatti

Whatever helps you sleep at night. An opinion does not have to be mean, unfair, blah blah blah... and if that's the only way one can express an opinion than perhaps they should re-evalutate themselves or STFU.

Well...that was rude.
ETA: Not that I necessarily disagree with the message. Honestly, I stopped keeping up with this thread when it went off the rails.

She wasn't telling Pinky to STFU. She was saying that the people who can only express themselves in a mean, rude, unfair, shaming kind of way should re-evaluate themselves or STFU.

k8blujay2

My point is that an opinion CAN be mean,rude,unfair, whatever you wanna call it.

Everyone expresses their opinion in different ways

Whatever helps you sleep at night. An opinion does not have to be mean, unfair, blah blah blah... and if that's the only way one can express an opinion than perhaps they should re-evalutate themselves or STFU.

Well...that was rude.


ETA: Not that I necessarily disagree with the message. Honestly, I stopped keeping up with this thread when it went off the rails.

*hangs head in shame* maybe a bit... I am tired of people using the cop-out of "it's the internet" therefore I can say whatever I want to be mean and vindictive towards individuals....

LOL What was I just saying for the past half hour?

Some people are MEAN offline too, so its not "just the internet".

I give up.

I KNOW it's not "just the internet" I have stated this a bajillion times already... BUT people are MORE LIKELY to be mean on the internet than they are in person.... THAT is what I have been trying to say.

Now I'm done, because I feel like I am hitting my head on a brick wall.

Hirgy03

I don't think most times that people are specifically setting out to insult the person directly

When you're looking at a pic of someone they posted as a success story for themselves and then say what you don't like about their body, that's pretty direct.

If someone asks for opinions, that's very different. It's always okay to give your honest opinion when asked, but you don't have to be an @ss about it. You can say, "I'm not into hairy chested guys" and avoid saying, "Ewwwww, I find hairy chested guys disgusting because they smell". See the difference?

Of course I see the difference, but while I agree that is rude and uncalled for, to think that arguing this on a message board will stop it, well........ a little bit naive, at least in my humble opinion (please, no offense intended there). Let the beads of water roll off your back and move along. I have a pretty good tolerance built up I guess.

perfectingpatti

Of course I see the difference, but while I agree that is rude and uncalled for, to think that arguing this on a message board will stop it, well........ a little bit naive, at least in my humble opinion (please, no offense intended there). Let the beads of water roll off your back and move along. I have a pretty good tolerance built up I guess.

So, we should just let anyone body shame another person on here? We should allow people to call others names? We should allow the insults, the nastiness, and the personal attacks because "thinking that arguing this on a message board will stop it is naive" or because we all should just "let the beads of water roll off our backs"?

I don't subscribe to that mentality. So, maybe I'm naive, but I have a hard time remaining quiet when I see it here.

Hirgy03

Wow.

oldandhealthier

perfect:drinker:

firstsip

My only comment on that would be, I find that people often critique the "skipping leg day" crew because a large consensus would agree it's not smart to do; overtraining certain body parts over others can result in literally throwing the body off balance, increase in injuries, etc. etc. I don't think it's necessarily a, "You look bad with big arms and skinny legs!" it's more of a, "It's very visible to us that you might not know as much about strength training as you say you do" as, falling back on stereotypes here, "bros" tend to do.

Otherwise, I'm 100% behind the "It's just as body shaming to make fun of skinny."

Good post, and I hope it keeps getting bumped in light of the 2-3 body shaming posts we have a day here...

I see it two ways.

1. Some people are oversensitive and go nuts on "shaming", when it's really an observation, fact, or opinion, you say above. Sometimes it's a trap: "do you like abs on women?" "No, it seems too manly to me" "BODY SHAMER!" Well, why the hell did you ask?

2. Some people do feel free to body-shame, but only if it's a pre-approved group that's OK to mock.

Often, they're the same people.

I definitely see what you're saying with #1. I've gotten roped into several convos of that nature on this site, when some people equated "I don't find overweight people attractive" with "BODY SHAMING." That's not what body shaming is, or what I think this thread is about... adding on the, "I don't find overweight people attractive... because humans aren't meant to be/they're gross/they're not real menwomen" etc. etc. creates the shame.

I'm curious as to the "same people"; are you still talking about the "skinny guy" group?