Why does the body positivity movement only include women?

Question

In my opinion men need to be complimented and validated way more than women do since women always get compliments where as most men don’t. The body positivity movement should include men.

Lliam · Accepted Answer

Here are some thoughts.

It's women, not men, who are sexualized in TV commercials, movies and magazines. So women feel pressured to meet the commercialized standards of beauty.

The fashion industry uses stick figure models to show of new lines in fashion shows. Partially as a result of this, the ideal woman was supposed to be a size 0 - 2. An average, fit, healthy woman (I'm not talking about high schoolers) was probably size 12-16. So, right there, many normal women were made to feel inadequate. Also, many or most women have trouble finding outfits that fit. For example, if something fits their waist and hips, it may not fit their boobs or vice versa.

Fashion is mostly for women. After all, men just have to buy pants, shirts and suits. How hard is it to find pants and shirts that fit? There even Big and Tall shops. (Note the lack of negativity in that name.) Men's fashions are rarely form fitting. Their clothes actually create the form and conceal to a great extent. Think of wide shoulders on suits and the straight lines of jackets.
On the other hand, women's fashions ARE often form fitting. They are designed to accentuate her figure. So women have to let it all hang out, so to speak.

Even people who are generally fit come in all shapes and sizes - short, tall, skinny, thicc, stocky.

One thing that guys can suffer stigma from them is being short. It can make guys feel inadequate, although some short guys are very well adjusted. I have some good friends and know of many guys who are 5'6" and under who have wives, families and are very successful and happy. I discovered that Davy Jones from The Monkees was 5'2". I have a tall, slender friend who used to get bullied and called Lurch in school. As a consequence, he got used to hunching his shoulders and back so as not to stand out.

And, of course the big thing that guys worry about is dick size. If women obsess about the size of their boobs or butts, you can imagine what guys go through and how inadequate they can be made to feel, especially with the proliferation of porn in which only guys with above average cocks are featured. That's something that would be very difficult to address in a male body positivity movement.

Male body positivity has become more problematic over the decades. I saw photos of a male swim suit competition from the early 1900s. The guys had zero muscle definition. Even George Reeves, who played Superman in the 1950s TV series, didn't compare to today's standards of fitness. Now days, guys feel more and more pressure to meet movie star standards. It's not enough to be lean and fit, they think they need to be sculpted.

It's possible for men to get sculpted, but it's more problematic for women because what makes them feminine is fat. It's what shapes their bodies. So they can certainly get fit, but it's not good for them to burn off all their healthy fat.

Anyway, body positivity for both genders is important, but I do think it is more applicable to women for the reasons I mentioned. Even the healthiest women have different size boobs and hip widths. They don't fit into fashion industry standards. They also tend to develop cellulite dimples in fatty area. Scars, stretch marks and blemishes also make them self conscious. They have a deep need to be seen as pretty and sexy. So, I think it's important for them to have body positivity, be comfortable in their own skin, walk proud, and celebrate their femininity, no matter if they are slender or if they are thicc.

What I don't agree with is celebrating unhealthy anorexia and obesity. And that's what Tess Holliday commercialized when she created #EffYourBeautyStandards. It became popular with the same "woke", PC crowd that would normalize transvestism and other marginal fashions and lifestyles.

OpenClose · Accepted Answer

Well the nice thing is, the men's side has been growing rapidly, as I've seen it anyway.

Both have similar issues like differences in income, and people viewing the exact same actions as good or evil based solely on how good you look. But some of the other issues are almost the exact opposite. That is, if women are sexualized, men are, if anything, desexualized.

Women are basically told they are the most beautiful version of the species. That a beautiful woman represents the absolute pinnacle of desirability. And that if they can't meet this, they are failures as women. So they're pressured all the time to catch up with other women. Gotta look like that instagram filter. You can't be the girl who doesn't shave her legs in the winter. Etc.

Men are basically told "you're the ugly ones. You can accept it, or whine about it, but that won't change it" So while being considered ugly doesn't hurt us *quite* as much, we also don't gain much from looking good unless we have godlike figures. Just look at the activity on even the best-looking men's dating profiles. Hell, a lot of guys don't put in the effort because it feels like putting lipstick on a pig. And notice how "beautiful formalwear" for men involves covering up as much as possible. It's all men in head-to-toe tuxes on the red carpet, and women with plunging necklines on backless semi-transparent dresses with slits to show their legs. That is NOT the place to bring up a narrative that people hate women's bodies.

A lot of dating traditions, frankly, feel like it is about playing a game of catch-up. Like you could basically say "You'll never be beautiful like her. So the least you could do is be richer or tougher or braver to make up for your deficiency. She shouldn't have to prove these things. She's already the desirable one." and the traditional dating dynamic could form directly from that.

So first off, I AM concerned about unrealistic male hero-bodies. Especially in the sense that they are actually harder to maintain than the ideal woman standard. In fact, I believe they outlawed dietary restrictions in contracts for women, but not for men. And men's physiques for some of these movies also follow physician oversight and are maintained only for the duration of filming for health reasons.

But I think as much as anything, I'm concerned about the ugly-male narrative. So in that sense, when they have a guy get naked and the girl tries to sneak a peak, that reversal is at least kinda refreshing. Hell, I get guy crushes now, and that's a nice feeling, because I can see the things that make men desirable. It's certainly better than all the sitcoms where they walk in on a naked girl and saxophones play, while they walk in on a naked guy and everyone is like "WHOA WE DID NOT NEED TO SEE THAT" and two of them turn away and vomit.

But there's another similar-but-opposite thing on women's side: That women NEED to be beautiful to have value. Dove might say "all women are beautiful" to help with women's self-esteem, but I think this misses the actual root of the problem. Guys are largely told we're ugly until proven otherwise, yet don't run into the image issues as often. We are told we don't NEED to be beautiful. You don't see "all men are beautiful" with a picture of Joe Biden. If anything, the "all women are beautiful" narrative just reinforces the need to be beautiful. After all, they need to sell their beauty products. It just applies it to everyone so that if their looks don't take them to where they were hoping, Dove gets to dodge the blame.

CrazyGirl2 · Accepted Answer

First, the Body Positivity movement does NOT just include women! Saying something like “men need compliments MORE than women, because women already get compliments” is asinine! BEAUTIFUL women may recieve a lot of compliments, but OBVIOUSLY SOME WOMEN. AREN’T otherwise there would be no body positivity movement! and second WHY DID YOU ASK THIS ANONYMOUSLY? What are you ashamed of?
The body positivity movement ABSOLUTELY includes men, here is a similar picture to the one you posted, only with men, instead of women.

It makes me wonder if the people who ask these questions like this have never heard of Google?
Here are some links to male body positivity articles.
https://onlinedoctor.superdrug.com/male-body-positivity/
https://thriveglobal.com/stories/body-positivity-affects-men-too/
https://wellbeingmagazine.com/beauty/body-positivity-affects-men-too/
https://malebodyposi.tumblr.com/
If you seriously need more proof, just Google (or better yet Duck Duck Go as they respect privacy) the phrase “Male Body Positivity”

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Because the "body shaming" or "body negativity" was all about women only. So the new movement is just erasing the old one. That's why it's just about women too.
Plus, there is no complementing being done here. Don't get all jealous. The new movement is only about "unshaming" and reversing the damage done earlier. It's not a positive movement.
Personally I don't believe it's a healthy movement either. Having an unhealthy BMI is definitely bad for you. Especially in the long run. But this movement is just saying don't go around shaming people for their unhealthy situation. You're not helping them with their weight issues by shaming them.

MCheetah · Answer

It only exists to shame attractive women and push unhealthy lifestyles on women too lazy to better themselves. (Not "all overweight people," as I'm overweight myself; I specifically mean the ones who'd rather brainwash all of society than even TRY to make an effort to lose weight or better their health.)

The whole "Eff Your Beauty Standards" and "body positivity/fat acceptance" movement was mainly started by Tess Holliday, who's a real piece of sh*t and lying, scamming, con artist in her whole right. Similar to MeToo and Black Lives Matter, it was never about the message. But instead, scamming losers out of money.

Oh, and all of this is coming from a guy who has BDD and MANY insecurities about his body himself; especially my height.

"In my opinion men need to be complimented and validated way more than women do since women always get compliments where as most men don’t."

Only if we deserve it, though. Don't stoop down to being like the loser women on social media. You don't NEED anyone's validation and acceptance (or even their respect) but your own. Believe me, it took my whole 20s to learn that.

globetrotter22 · Answer

How about this:

1) Lets not bully anybody who is overweight UNLESS they are bullying you first. Some fat people think it’s okay to be douche bags to people while hypocritically thinking that comments about their physiques are off limits. I have no sympathy for fat bullies (male or female)

2.) Accept that there are beauty standards in society and it’s not nothing new. Ancient Greeks had their statues for a reason. Just don’t have a higher standard for someone you want to date than you have for yourself.

3). “Follow the science” and focus on the facts. There is a reason why you don’t see any obese 90 year olds. Being overweight will shorten your life

4). I’ve met athletic heavy people. If you are thicker genetically yet still exercise and eat healthy then people will respect you. I can usually tell that these people care about fitness by the way they hold themselves.

5). I’ve seen plenty of fat guys do alright with women. That’s one advantage men have. If you are funny, rich or have a good personality then many women will over look the beer gut.

lrina · Answer

the body positively movement is garbage. it sounds nice, but the problem is "body positivity" primarily includes fat people. like, that's not even healthy at all so it's wrong to encourage that. it's be better if there could be a new body positivity movement (under a different name of course) that encouraged a healthy weight and look for both genders.

WalkingInTheRain7 · Answer

Really this movement shouldn't be focused on encouraging or enabling people to make bad lifestyle decisions which got them where they are in the first place. Of course, there are a myriad of different situations that people who are overweight are in, that is, what caused them to become overweight. But, that being said, we shouldn't encourage bad lifestyle decisions, but say that, they should be happy with who they truly are, and work to become what they are if they have issues which are preventing them from doing so. When it comes to their weight, they should be educated about what they should do to help get them to a more healthy weight for the sake of their health. Trying to get them to accept this weight really doesn't do them any good, if they end up not wanting to do anything about their weight and just continue on with making bad lifestyle decisions in their case.

tupacs_only_wife · Answer

I also don't get it but its not only men who the body positivity leaves out. The movement also shuts out skinny people yet they say all bodies are perfect. Tbh i find the movement very toxic, like imagine working so hard to achieve your dream body and you get shamed on by the very same people who said they love themselves and nobody's opinion matters. The body positivity movement is a whole lie.

Toast792 · Answer

1. Who said it doesn't include men? Just because most guys aren't out there advertising this kind of thing doesn't mean there is some kind of unspoken ban.

2. No idea what you mean by 'women always get complements'. More like women always get catcalled and harrassed.. Conventionally attractive women get complements. The only reason 'less-attractive' women also get complements is usually because the person giving them wants to get laid or something...

3. The reason we usually don't get complements is because men don't want to 'look gay' and women don't want men to assume they are looking for a relationship/sex. If you want to try fixing the 'men don't get complements' issue, then start complementing men? lmao

Apulu_3 · Answer

Body positivity is a thing I don't support if about being fat without medical conditions. Like it isn't appealing, it is unhealthy, it says the person is careless and lazy yet they expect us to appreciate them for their 'confidence'.

Cherry234 · Answer

I can’t support a movement that thinks obesity is okay. This is for either gender. It’s okay to be chubby or a little heavy but obesity is certainly NOT okay. The same thing applies to dangerously skinny people.

England4eva · Answer

Absolutely. But the mentality of men is that they would feel most likely uncomfortable with this brand (featuring themselves in billboards and magazines) of course I’m generalising.

However, I feel women should praise more. No one tells a guy he looks handsome when he makes the effort. But we exaggerate how great the woman looks just for putting on some lipstick.

Subarugirl · Answer

It doesn’t, the body positivity movement started out as a program for people with deformities and amputations.

honeynut-scenarios · Answer

Maybe because women created it? ‘Dad bods’ became a norm so this is the females way of acceptance too. Why do you feel as though men deserve more validation than women? If you’re that insecure, quite frankly, that’s your own problem that you need to work on. Put the fork down, or make your own movement.

Joker_ · Answer

lol ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎

TheMVPofGaG · Answer

I totally agree. I think inclusion of different body types, ethnicities, etc. are great, and this should include both men and women.
That aside, I think when you reach a point of self-love, maturity, and emotional growth you don't need a body positivity movement or don't look to propaganda or media to gain self confidence.

uwu_princess · Answer

Tbh I don't know. Body positivity sucks af. Everyone says being fat is cute is okay. But it isn't. It's healthy, and they are afraid to admit it 🤦‍♀️ everyone prefers to write fake compliments to make someone happy. No one is ready to write the fact and help someone lose weight and be healthy in the future.

caitycat21 · Answer

The body positive movement isn’t even a movement. It’s very liberal and doesn’t offer a solution to actual systemic and social problems that lead to rampant Ed in girls and boys. I’m in support of the body acceptance movement since it’s more revolutionary.

Mr beard made a great video explaining the two -

TheUniqueOne96 · Answer

Society/radical feminism wants men to accept all women and see them as beautiful, whilst bashing most men, as they aren't over 6ft.

I agree, they should have one for short men too and fat men, but no, let's laugh at men for something they have no control over and see them as undesirable, whilst praising a 1000lb hippo for not shaving her body hair and expecting male perfection.

Phoenix98 · Answer

It shouldn’t include anyone.

The only thing but does is promote obesity and unhealthy lifestyles.

if you really care about people then promote healthy living and healthy eating.

by saying it’s ok to be fat/obese and practice horrible and unhealthy lifestyles your only contributing to the problem not creating a solution.

Anonymous · Answer

I mean men's bodies aren't policed as much by the opposite sex. I mean there was a whole trend of women swooning over dad bods.

Breaking down toxic masculinity would in turn help with men's body inclusivity.

Alwayreckles93 · Answer

I don't support people that introduce eating disorders , Anorexia that goes stop both girls and guys. Not just one gender.

KingofCups · Answer

Body Postivity Movement is such a joke. If you know you're clearly unhealthy no amount of false validation will change that. Why do people perceive you as unattractive... because you are. Change is not impossible - dedication, persistence, and discipline can change your life. Make the change, put in the work. I've got no sympathy for these slackers.

Juxtapose · Answer

Hahaha women are never going to compliment us the same way we complement them. They view us as a dime a dozen dude.

A lot of men have a thirsty mentality while women have a drowning mentality. The last thing they want is water and we are water my friend..

🤷‍♂️ I guess let them make the first move from now on?

Prg11 · Answer

Aren't women notorious for looking to be 'special', and to exclude as many others as possible from the distribution of resources?
If there is pne female obsession, it is how to manipulate so she gets all that there is (ob the globe), how to deny it to all others - and then to have multiple boyfriends.

Heartache0405 · Answer

Probably because it’s a branch of feminism. And feminism is just a front for misandry utilizing the definition of first wave feminism so people will continue to support them no matter what they say or do

ZackBan · Answer

Because men already live less than women, no need to add all the health issues that come from embracing obesity. Body positivity is all well ans good until you can't function properly and eventually stop functioning altogether.

ElenaMorgan5552 · Answer

Someone else gave this explanation one time, but I'ma quote it, "women are judged much more often, and more harshly, on their bodies and faces."

Anonymous · Answer

It's just an excuse for fat women to stay fat and do nothing to improve their health. Movement maybe improves the mental aspect of being a whale. As for men not being in it, probably because fat guys don't need to improve their mental side to it. Women are crazy 🙂

Aquariusmystery · Answer

Because how many men do you know have fillers and surgery because society doesn’t deem them good enough?

UniquelyBasic · Answer

Men dont have emotions and we are expected to just sit there and take it

Anonymous · Answer

Because women are more emotional and more snowflakes than men

ChrisMaster69 · Answer

Erm it does not, it includes everyone. It’s up to guy to join and promote

GeoCrusher · Answer

Because no one cares about what guys think, especially in this day and age. As we all know we are raised to suck it up and stomach the abuse, because weakness isn't allowed as a guy.

jshm2 · Answer

Don't be daft. Fat balding men have no confidence issues compared to fat balding women.

FictionalCharacter · Answer

Not just women. Including trans and men. Do you know how many gay commercials I’ve seen so far just for sponsoring a laptop?

sheikalana · Answer

I think it's because there are more female models and men don't usually speak much about their insecurities.

MountAverage · Answer

Because there's not even remotely as much pressure on men to stay in shape and be thin as there is on women.

Adam1978 · Answer

Because men are more logical and we simply don't create movements that lies to ourselves. We don't agree with the movement so we don't join it.

Desconhecida · Answer

I don't think men need to be complimented  more  than women, but I do agree body positivity should also be about men.

sp33d · Answer

Such groups don't consist of only women, there are men, too. Pictures of obese women are meant to guilt trip the audience. This crap happens around here, as well. It's a toxic community. Don't pay attention to it.

RolandCuthbert · Answer

Because I am as shapely as a loaf of bread. And I don't have any negative body image issues. I am a guy. WTF?

Pohjolan · Answer

Nah fat/ugly men shouldn't also begin a circlejerk convincing each other that they are handsome instead of actually doing something about it.

notwoke · Answer

no, men aren't stupid. we know fat is nasty. Its only so clothing companies can make lots of money by tricking fat women into believing "that looks good". Men aren't freaking utterly crazy delusional. We are victims by having to see this shit

iamacuriousguy · Answer

Because they can be easily brainwashed into thinking that being fat is beautiful and sexy. They are generally more vulnurable and niave than men, So they are being targeted to be sick and suffer, buy products and never experience true peace.

TheSpaceGnome · Answer

In my opinion being obese and unhealthy is not worth awarding compliments over. Compliment people over their achievements, not their mere existence.

Rosapalosa · Answer

It's very political to be honest but you're right, men do deserve a spot. I think it's only cause we care more about our bodies and are sexualized more for our bodies in media and in a lot of other stuff.

Hydrogen · Answer

Because nobody cares about men anymore, also men are supposed to be more muscular and not complain about the minor body flaws.. I guess that didn't age well, since men are worse than women nowadays.

Anonymous · Answer

Because the movement is started and ran by women so that’s where their focus and interest lie. You’re free to start a movement for men.

bamesjond0069 · Answer

Its because most women are very weak and need social acceptance to even get out of the bed in the morning where most men thrive on challenges and build a strong individual self esteem so they dont need any social acceptance to be motivated.

SAMI_DABBAB · Answer

Men's bodies are not as nearly as sexualised as women's bodies, that's the only thing I can think of and it still feels like a terrible reasoning

msc545 · Answer

It only includes women because really nobody cares anything about men except how much money they can make or how many of them can die in wars that make money for other people and that women can spend.

fonduegirl · Answer

Because men set their own trends based on "gay" or "alpha".

Anonymous · Answer

Because men are worthless in society, soon they'll kill us all and turn us into sausage or pig feed or fertilizer

front2back · Answer

Because the whole body positive movement is a giant coping mechanism for some women to feel better about being fat and doing nothing bout it.

OddBeMe · Answer

Actually only the complaints are against women. “Dad bods” are celebrated. Sexist huh?

maverick2022 · Answer

GD some of those women are big. Does this question really need to be asked? Society doesn't give a crap about men, that's already been established.

John_Doesnt · Answer

Because only women are that insecure and love to complain. Men, real men, don't complain or share their feelings.

annabananna · Answer

It is probably because women started it. Maybe you could make a post on social media and start one more geared toward men.

Anonymous · Answer

women have weak egos and constantly need validation and fat ugly women need to think they are pretty because it’s easier than taking responsibility for themselves and their choices. Most Women hate taking responsibility for anything.

Deku2009 · Answer

Because something makes women insecure about there bodies (by appearance of another woman, not being approached, or being bullied) I am sure there are a lot more. But akso there are insecure men too.

Dargil · Answer

Because we don't care. I have what The Creator gave me.

Anonymous · Answer

Because there need to be more men who cares to start such a movement. Don't sit around your ass and wait for it.

Why does the body positivity movement only include women?

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Why is body positivity movement only for women and not short men?

Why does the body positivity movement only include women?

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Why is body positivity movement only for women and not short men?

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