Why are people criticized for their body types?
 

:x There's too much body shaming in the world. I would like for it to stop.

Why do you keep making the same thread over & over?

Probably because your weight is something you can control. Unlike nationality, religion or sexual orientation....there is something wrong with being obese as well as being unhealthy.

(Cracks knuckles)

I feel it's because society has turn more apathetic instead of sympathetic and understanding. No matter where we go, everyone that isn't a sheep (majority) following a shepherd (leader or most popular decision) will be judged. Whether it be religion, race, etc., it's a cruel world nowadays. It really angers me on how society has begun to morph into something it dislikes. Granted, not everyone is like this, but it still generally upsets me.

For this issue, I think it's both the apathetic nature and us as humans being judgmental. While not everyone, some look for the negatives in a person to bully them into hurting themselves. It's a psychological environment of destruction in a way, to shatter emotions to better our lives. By doing that, it makes people feel superior to those who have disadvantages. That's what I believe in why that happens.

Also, quick quote because Rocky Balboa perfectly summarizes it: "The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows, it's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are, it'll beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it." Rocky Balboa (movie)

I'm not one to make someone feel bad over their body, but I'm not gonna feel bad over preferring a certain type, either.

People are shallow... Not much else to it.

There's too much trolling in these forums. I would like for it to stop.

I just pictured someone handing out fliers to every single person on the planet.


There may be plenty of nice people, but collectively we're a mean species. You don't get to the top on this planet by being a nice species. (Or individual for that matter - how many executives will gladly step on others to get there?) Nice ones get/got eaten.

Best anyone can do it ignore it and find self acceptance.

Yes. Acceptance with yourself and with things that are out of your control. Purple Kraken, I'm not sure how old you are but when I was in my late teens/early twenties I hated how our society has shaped people and their values. I'd like to say the situation gets better as you age, what with the whole "body shaming" but it doesn't. I worked with a bunch of ladies from 37-late 50s and I actually got picked on for being "too skinny." Or that I'm told I need to eat more. The best thing you can do for yourself is to not let it bother you. If you are unhappy with your weight, then do something for yourself to gain more self-confidence. I wish I could say that it doesn't hurt my feelings when other girls at work talk about me, but sometimes it does. I'm not ashamed of my body at all. I rather like mine. It's just disappointing that some people could be so rude.

I don't point fingers, no-one is perfect, inside or outside.

I don't look at someone and complain how they look like. If I should complain about looks, I first look in the mirror.

Never believe what they say about your looks. I've seen people who looked "different" and yet, I'm proud to call them my friends.

It's the inside that counts

This makes me wonder how old you are-- are you much younger than these women? I know women LOVE to hate on other women when they're jealous, so if you're super-model skinny, you might take it as a compliment that they hate you so much. Which is stupid in and of itself of them since that is NOT the ONLY body type men like.

I try to accept people for who they are, si I guess you could say I'm anti-body-shaming, but I can see where others would criticize people who are very heavy or sickly skinny if it is a result of poor nutrition. At that point it isn't anything personal, facts are just facts.

Mmmhmm
There's also too much greed, poverty, murder and war, as well as inequality.
There are a lot of things I don't like, but I can't control how a collective of people feel or act because I believe in, ya know free will.
Also People are criticised because people can be @ssholes. Hell I'm an @sshole sometimes.
But if I have a friend that's overweight for example I won't shame them, but I'll let em know that I can help if they need a workout buddy or some diet/ exercise advice. And I have, but only if they want/feel they need help. If I see that they're happy just the way they are then so be it. Although to be honest some of my friends and I just insult each other cuz that's how we roll but that's besides the point.
Point is you gotta be comfortable with yourself, screw everyone else. If someone tries to body shame me I'll just smile and nod. Trying to shame me into something I'm not and don't want to be is futile and only shows lack of understanding and empathy.
I'll try to be the example of tolerance that not everyone else is willing to be. This thread has that victim mentality that doesn't really help and just points fingers. It's stupid.
I can only speak from me personally or from experience but that's the jist of it.
phew that was more than I though I would write

If I met you in real life I'd probably punch you in the mouth.

^this.

However, it doesn't stop me from worrying about a few of my friends, especially if they are on the quite heavier side, and for good reason. When a friend of mine who was only 29 and about 330 pounds died in his sleep partly due to his weight and lack of exercise, that's when you think it's a tragedy he was taken too soon :-?

Don't fix what ain't broken?

Wait, that's not right...

xD I'm 28. I definitely don't think they "hate" me, they just... *shrug* Idk. People are weird.

We'll be the anti-body-shaming squad! Go go go!

:lol:
This directed towards me or Purple Kraken? Either way hella amusing.

Purple Kraken.
I'd do some different things to you, mah boy.

^^ Mah boy ehh

Just for discussion's sake why would you punch the poor ol' Purple Kraken in the face? She seems like a nice, albeit nuanced and sometimes whiny individual.

Doesn't matter who anyone is, no one is ever going to be entirely perfect. And ever see some of the people who try too hard to strive for perfection? Sometimes the results just seem to end up coming out worse in one way or another because opinions of "perfect" varies and they very well may have a warped view of it. :ohwell: I'd rather just be ok with me than mutilate myself to try to achieve something that might not be quite possible.

I'm a big believer in "beauty comes in all shapes and sizes", I'm just sick of the same thread from PK over and over. The incessant repetition just makes the whole thing seem insincere.

End of the day - not my body, not my business. As long as someone's happy with who they are, I'll stay in my own lane. Industries make billions of dollars from deliberately feeding people's insecurities about how they look/telling them that X is unattractive, and then claiming that they can sell them the cure for whatever it is.

Nobody has "the perfect body" - even supermodels or Hollywood stars who have all day (not to mention thousands of dollars) to work on their appearance. Corporations have a vested interest in making people feel bad about themselves, otherwise they wouldn't make any profit. They spend their time creating non-existent problems so they can sell us crap like knee and elbow lightening cream.

If someone's happy being thin or wearing makeup or having fantastic muscle tone, that's awesome - I just reject the idea that it has to be compulsory in order for someone to be worthwhile or attractive. Which is not to say that you're obligated to find certain body types attractive - but by the same token, nobody (man or woman) owes attractiveness to the world as some sort of public service either.

The greatest video in the history of Humanity:lol:

Everyone keeps saying that. This is the first one I've responded to. But I could see that being disconcerting and or insincere.

I am honestly not trying to be insincere. I just want people to notice the equalities of our society more often. If they don't, it might become ingrained into our culture.

Ok - but at the end of the day, you do realize that this is a TMNT forum, right? I mean, I have issues that are important to me too, but I try to limit how often I mention them on the forums because at the end of the day, this isn't really the place for it and bringing it up here isn't going to change anything. Inequality is already thoroughly engrained in our culture - you have to choose your battles or you're going to wear yourself out battering yourself against people's indifference. Trust me - there's a crapload of things I'd like to change about society, but given the nature of our social structure and the vested capitalist interest in concern-trolling the obese about their health, campaigning on a TMNT forum isn't going to bring about sweeping social reform. You're better off sticking with fat-positive groups online and joining some of their movements to promote body positivity.

I appreciate your honesty and that you care about the topic, and if I've been a bit of a grump towards you and misread you as a troll, then I sincerely apologize and extend to you the proverbial olive branch of peace, and the ceremonial twig of friendship. But it does get frustrating reading the same thing over and over (not to mention the resulting sh*tfights that ensue, because let's face it, seeing people slag their fellows off over minor differences can tend to be somewhat depressing and lowering in one's faith in humanity as a whole).

If I had a nickel for every looney toon who misguidedly tried to use this site as a venue for social change, I could probably buy a decent sandwich with that money.

I like how my mind went immediately to food. :tlol:

Don't criticize me, y'all.

:trazz:

Only social change campaigns that make sense here is a wish for TMNT to gain more respect similar to other well known hero/superhero characters and not forever be stuck in a stigma of only being a "kid's thing." :) (Ok, and maybe for film makers to understand it better and respect it enough to do right by it.)


As where body types, etc are concerned...

My sister and I are pretty much total opposites. I'm thin, she's chunky. She got great vision and strong teeth, mine suck. Both fair skinned, but she's lighter and we're lightly different tones side by side; she'll sunburn in a short time, I can withstand in quite a while longer. Add in other non-physical traits that are positives for her, negatives for me, and visa versa... everything's a give and take, you win some, you lose some.

Fortunately my sister has a pretty healthy mindset about her weight. She does try to keep tabs on it because yes there are health risks, esp weight related diabetes in our family and needs to try to avoid that, but she is fine with being who she is and the fact that she's just not meant to be a thin person.

She does occasionally worry me sometimes when she's been at her heavier weights, because I don't want any bad risks catching up to her... I have not ever said anything to her, but it doesn't keep me from worrying on occasion, and rightfully if I was underweight (I'm not) I would expect her to worry the same.

But weight does not make a person's value, only who you are otherwise can do that. Great people, attractive people, terrible people all come in different shapes and sizes and some of each. If my sister and I were made the same weight I think we'd look a good deal alike, but to be honest I think these features work better with her rounder face - I feel she's the better looking one because of it, her weight notwithstanding.

She's a pain in the ass in some ways (who isn't), but for the most part she's an awesome person and most people who come to know her love her.

And for all those who are a thin one like I am, well that's a whole different set of insecurities, social criticisms, judgements, comments and jokes people think are ok to make, and I totally understand that side of it.


People shouldn't focus on what areas they think they lost on; instead focus on what good traits you won.

Hate to be the bearer of bad new but it kinda is already. Strangely enough songs about booty and all about the bass are sorta sending a positive message about self image (I'm stretching it I know) but then comes the skinny shaming and that's a whole other can of worms. But this is really not the place to reform society. It's a forum about mutant turtles that are master ninjas and sometimes fight crime or rival ninjas. Almost like going to a pokemon forum and speaking of the evils of dog fighting while completely ignoring the irony of it.

The thing about this topic and a lot like it is that happiness doesn't come from people not commenting on something about you. It comes from inside.

I guarantee that if you are uncomfortable with yourself and people talk about you, you're still going to feel uncomfortable with yourself if people don't talk about you.

If you learn to love yourself and stop worrying what anyone else or society as a whole thinks about what you look like, or who you are, or where you came from, or who you love, or which belief system you adhere to.....if you learn to love yourself, that's what makes the world better. Your personal world. And really, that's the only one you can change.

You know, I feel bad for skinny shaming, as you call it. Years ago, every time I saw Paris Hilton on TV, I couldn't understand why guys would be attracted to her because of her lack of curves. Does that count as "skinny-shaming"? I used to say she's a broomstick with hair with a boyish figure, and found it mind boggling that guys would find that sexy...but to each his own, right? My old bf was a "T&A" guy. No idea what he saw in me physically...I lack the stereotypical "A". lolAdding on, there really is no such thing as the perfect body. Too many different ethnicities and races and stuff as well as body types. In other words, we're not like clothes. We don't have a one size fits all for bodies.

I think there needs to be a distinction between being healthy versus a body looking aesthetically pleasing. Typically (but not always) good health was reflected through visual appearance; for example malnutrition was shown in the quality of hair and nails, or looking "physically fit" implied that the person had the endurance for physical demands when having to resort to "flight or fight" dangers. This was especially important in ancient times when selecting a mate for offspring.

Nowadays in developed nations where nutrition is far more readily available (in some cases, not always affordable though) and cosmetic procedures and products are plentiful, it's more difficult to depend on the visual assessment our species has used for thousands of years (when famines were frequent, and ancient society would consider the obese "well off" or wealthy since they could afford and have access to food).

Everyone has their own unique, genetic physiological makeup in which their weight and metabolism is different. But generally the medical community uses the body mass index calculation to determine an individual's proper weight, but it does have its limitations (i.e. such as not differentiating between muscle mass and fat mass). In fact, it's been applied toward legislation of the fashion industry in Spain, France, Italy, and Israel to ban underweight fashion models.

Interesting thing is, is for some women who are trying to be too skinny to look sexually appealing, it actually contradicts the subconscious biological procreative drive of sexual appeal, when it leads to amenorrhoea since the adipose tissue (body fat) is too low to support childbearing, which is why women's essential (bare minimum) body fat (10-13%) is far greater than men's (2-5%).

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._1985-2010.gifhttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...0-2004.svg.png
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity...lence_by_state

With 2/3 of Americans now being overweight and obese, and childhood obesity tripling in the last 30 years, our country's weight issue is something to address and take action on, but primarily focusing on aesthetic image above health (i.e. "fat-shaming" leading to anorexia and other health problems) is certainly not the best way to approach it. ...Besides society's views have fluctuated with body aesthetics, and it's shown throughout history with women:

'Fat Shaming?'

Unless somebody is actively being nasty about that person's weight and appearance to their face, I just wonder where the idea of 'fat shaming' even came from. It sounds to me like a term made up by people who don't want others to criticize them for their bad decisions, preferring instead to hide in a first world nation's ever-expanding fuzzy notion of 'victimhood,' instead of realizing that their condition is ultimately, inherently, unhealthy.

As such, I used to be fat.

Very fat.

I got that way through meds I had to take when I was a teen, the kinds that love to make you unable to feel full (allowing you to eat multiple servings of everything at one sitting) while also slowing down your metabolism. I became almost morbidly obese, and by then it was hard to move about, my knees hurt, and I was chronically unmotivated and often hungry (even after stopping the medication.)

No amount of 'fat positivity' would have ameliorated the eventual issues I would have if I didn't get it off, nor does it disguise the fact that it's no fun to sweat at even the slightest exercise, get heavier periods, or being tired a lot.

I wouldn't have wanted somebody to say 'oink oink oink' to my face or call me 'fat pig.' But I would not want people to try and sell me the false idea that somehow all of that is beautiful, that it's positive to eventually risk type 2 diabetes, or having to get a toilet paper on a stick to wipe one's butt should I get so big I can't reach back there anymore. Eventually reality trumps feel-goodism, and obesity is one place it does so with a vengeance.

Damn, yo. That's real.

Metalwolf: You're a pretty good egg.

Post of the year re: this topic

^^ I agree that's pretty intense. There is definitely a point of being slightly overweight but still ya know healthy, and what MetaWolf was talking about, the morbid obesity that just straight up ruins your life.

My new coworker, like me, is fat but she has no health problems...so you can't really go by that either. I do have a health issue, but there's a strong chance I would've had it with or without the weight anyway because of family history.

Mmhmm... Nothing wrong with being a bit, as my sister would put it, fluffy. But there is an appropriate level of fluff for an individual that isn't doing them harm and a risky level for them that could, would, or will.

Not trying to judge or anything, we all make our own choices and the same is equally true for the polar opposite and everyone knows that someone in denial to the fact that they're starving themselves to death is likely to end badly... as such, denial of the extreme opposite isn't helping people either.

Should be noted that it isn't even always a person's state of health that is the immediate risk. I remember a guy back in high school who unfortunately died indirectly due to his weight. (Was on the morbidly obese side.) His family had a house fire one night, could not get out through his bedroom door and unfortunately, because of his weight, he could not escape through his window either.

Very sad, particularly for my shop/major because he was a fellow graphics arts student. Was a year ahead of me, but we'd see students from his class in there sometimes if it was their lunch period or they needed to stop in for something.