Who has it worse- guys or girls- with pressure to have 'perfect' weight?

[KatieBelle 302]

*Thought of when replying to this topic! 

http://mlpforums.com/topic/105142-is-anyone-else-overly-thin/

 

In the topic, a bunch of guys are talking about how they're too thin. Guys are expected to be big, strong, and bulky. (in a good way)

 

Girls, on the other hand, have to look just like the *airbushed* magazine model. Girls have been known to overwork themselves and stp eating in order to be 'perfect.'

 

But so have some guys. Everyone is under pressure to not become overweight, but... who do you think has it worse??

 

[repsol rave 2,963]

i honestly think girls have it worse.

i'm a guy, and many guys have problems with their weight. guys just don't nearly seem to care about it as much as most girls do.

[Simon 4,557]

OH girls without a doubt.  I'm a guy and I've gotten the normal abuse growing up from jackass kids at school, but despite the crap I went through, I've seen what girls do to each other over things like that.  They're vicious.  Plus society is much more demanding that girls have the perfect body than with guys, so they just get a lot more abuse for flaws all around imo.

[yeet 2,027]

Girls have it worse. I don't really know about men, but I know I wouldn't mind losing a few pounds.

[ShadowPirateX 600]

I'd say girls. Wheras guys are expected to have a somewhat lean build, females are expected to bend their ribs and remove a few organs.

[Dark Qiviut 22,401]

Women have it much, much worse. The stigma of women being overtly thin is shoved into everyone's faces wherever we go because "they look really ugly if they don't." And the media perpetuates this stereotype everywhere, from print advertising to the news to Reality TV to toys. Even worse, many women aren't afraid to abuse other women simply for their weight.

[iceestarz 5,764]

We all have pressure of some sorts, guys gotta look like the ripped 6pack model. And girls gotta look good in a bikini.

 

As a girl, I'm always self conscious about my weight. If I have to move up a size in jeans I literally have a nervous breakdown. No joke, when I was going into freshman year of high school I was about to die just moving up from a 0 to a size 1. I thought I was getting fat.

 

I'm stuck at a size 1/2 but am still always checking to make sure my weight doesn't go up substantially. Cause ya know, society pressure to be thin.

[KatieBelle 302]

OH girls without a doubt.  I'm a guy and I've gotten the normal abuse growing up from jackass kids at school, but despite the crap I went through, I've seen what girls do to each other over things like that.  They're vicious.  Plus society is much more demanding that girls have the perfect body than with guys, so they just get a lot more abuse for flaws all around imo.

'They're vicious' Hahahaha

That's what I thought. I wanted to know a guys point of veiw, though. So I've gathered- guys care a lot less and girls are under way more pressure, yes?

[Everleaf 541]

Girls many have already went though why so I don't feel up to writing 1000 words or so why. XD

[Ryzu 984]

Girls because all those insensitive guys refuse to date a girl who is fat for some stupid reason. I find that ridiculous. The heart is what counts, not the shape or skin.

[Jennabun 1,579]

Though I've never been a guy, I'd bet money on the fact that girls struggle more. With girls, it's not just your weight that gets scrutinized, but everything else about your appearance. Girls nitpick their appearance to death.

 

I remember literally bawling in dressing rooms when I was as young as 12 because I thought I looked fat in a bathing suit. I wasn't fat, not even close. But hindsight is 20/20, as they say. Society does some messed-up shit to your brain when you're a girl.

 

I also remember being so nervous in 6th grade whenever we had gym class. I got stretch marks on my thighs early on, and since I was one of the first to go through puberty, nobody else really understood what they were. Everyone thought there was something wrong with my legs. I wanted to die over it.

 

And it's not just me, it seems to be an epidemic. All of my best girls friend seemed to go through a weight crisis. One of my friends in high school constantly took caffeine pills throughout the day to boost her metabolism, and she refused food all the time saying she was "vegan" (it was, she admitted later, just an excuse to skip meals). Another one of my friends in high school literally only ate a yogurt for lunch for like 2 years, and had nervous break downs if she didn't get to go to the gym at night. And we weren't even in a bad group of people - we were a part of a very open-minded, intellectual, accepting group of friends who were down to hang out with all sorts of people. But at the end of the day, we were still products of our society, and we succumbed to body image issues regularly.

 

My little sister, who is currently 19, is now thinking she has to take diet pills and work out all the time because she went from a size 1 to a size 3 in pants. She thinks she's getting fat and she wears SIZE 3 PANTS. I try to tell her that she's growing up, and that it's natural, but she doesn't get it. She thinks she needs to have the body of a child her entire life or else there is something wrong with her.

 

It's such a weird world for girls. Girls get told "be yourself!" and then see 3276356532 images and advertisements that tell us we need to change ourselves. We're told to put effort into our appearance if we want to be noticed, and then get yelled at for taking too long in the bathroom. We get told to be "natural" and then get told we look tired or sick when we don't wear concealer or eyeliner. We get told "it's what's on the inside that counts!" and then get made fun of or gossiped about when we gain a couple pounds. It's confusing. It's like cultural whiplash. And it never stops.

 

Girls struggle. A lot. Girls worry about their weight, their pores, their hairstyle, their nails, their body hair, their clothes, their boobs, their... everything. And even though we know we shouldn't worry, we can't stop. We've been trained to worry since day 1. Trying to shed those negative habits away is like trying to forget your own name.

Edited July 26, 2014 by Jennabun

[ArcherSlamBAM 25]

To quote Elvis Presley: Girls, girls, girls. But, everyone else said why, so...

[Invincible 2,091]

With the kind of society we're living in, i'm willing to risk a guess and say girls, because of the value attributed to girls' image compared to guys' image.

[KatieBelle 302]

http://mlpforums.com/topic/105479-another-body-image-what-do-you-guys-think-of-thigh-gaps/

Another Body Image question!!  Check it out?

[ShadowPirateX 600]

Though I've never been a guy, I'd bet money on the fact that girls struggle more. With girls, it's not just your weight that gets scrutinized, but everything else about your appearance. Girls nitpick their appearance to death.

 

I remember literally bawling in dressing rooms when I was as young as 12 because I thought I looked fat in a bathing suit. I wasn't fat, not even close. But hindsight is 20/20, as they say. Society does some messed-up shit to your brain when you're a girl.

 

I also remember being so nervous in 6th grade whenever we had gym class. I got stretch marks on my thighs early on, and since I was one of the first to go through puberty, nobody else really understood what they were. Everyone thought there was something wrong with my legs. I wanted to die over it.

 

And it's not just me, it seems to be an epidemic. All of my best girls friend seemed to go through a weight crisis. One of my friends in high school constantly took caffeine pills throughout the day to boost her metabolism, and she refused food all the time saying she was "vegan" (it was, she admitted later, just an excuse to skip meals). Another one of my friends in high school literally only ate a yogurt for lunch for like 2 years, and had nervous break downs if she didn't get to go to the gym at night. And we weren't even in a bad group of people - we were a part of a very open-minded, intellectual, accepting group of friends who were down to hang out with all sorts of people. But at the end of the day, we were still products of our society, and we succumbed to body image issues regularly.

 

My little sister, who is currently 19, is now thinking she has to take diet pills and work out all the time because she went from a size 1 to a size 3 in pants. She thinks she's getting fat and she wears SIZE 3 PANTS. I try to tell her that she's growing up, and that it's natural, but she doesn't get it. She thinks she needs to have the body of a child her entire life or else there is something wrong with her.

 

It's such a weird world for girls. Girls get told "be yourself!" and then see 3276356532 images and advertisements that tell us we need to change ourselves. We're told to put effort into our appearance if we want to be noticed, and then get yelled at for taking too long in the bathroom. We get told to be "natural" and then get told we look tired or sick when we don't wear concealer or eyeliner. We get told "it's what's on the inside that counts!" and then get made fun of or gossiped about when we gain a couple pounds. It's confusing. It's like cultural whiplash. And it never stops.

 

Girls struggle. A lot. Girls worry about their weight, their pores, their hairstyle, their nails, their body hair, their clothes, their boobs, their... everything. And even though we know we shouldn't worry, we can't stop. We've been trained to worry since day 1. Trying to shed those negative habits away is like trying to forget your own name.

Not to sound insensitive, but that makes me glad I'm a guy. It's a shame girls have to struggle so much. Especially the nice ones. Maybe the social pressure is what drives some girls into bad behavior? The worst part is I've heard of girls that got bullied for being pretty!

It's a cruel world, after all...

 

Girls because all those insensitive guys refuse to date a girl who is fat for some stupid reason. I find that ridiculous. The heart is what counts, not the shape or skin.

Altough it's the heart and soul that counts, appearence is good too. Not important. Just good.

I'm not saying girls should look like supermodels, tough. That's just unhealthy.

[Luna 831 466]

Might be equal or less also depends on other stuff

Edited July 27, 2014 by Luna 831

[SparklingSquirrels 21,341]

Yeah, it's probably girls.

 

Honestly though, I'm probably the only girl who just doesn't care -_-. I've been under average weight for my whole life, but besides that (take makeup for example, I wear none of it)... I don't care what people say. Why should I bother? I don't understand girls and their desires to be perfect.

 

After reading Jennabun's post, I can even say that I feel sorry for her and the other girls she mentioned. People shouldn't have to be that obsessed over their looks

Edited July 27, 2014 by SparklingSwirls

[firetorn 187]

Girls certainly have it worse. But having said that, when it comes to people not dating others due to their appearance, girls are just as guilty for turning up their nose at a guy who is over/under weight or has other physical flaws (and it is understandable on both ends to me. Why would I choose someone I am not physically AND emotionally attracted to?). It's not JUST about looks but they play a part.

[Shanks 10,816]

Girls because all those insensitive guys refuse to date a girl who is fat for some stupid reason. I find that ridiculous. The heart is what counts, not the shape or skin.

And the definition of "fat" is completely and totally off, as well according to the mainstream media any girl who dosen't have their ribcage hanging out is overweight when that is extremely unhealthy when guys don't have that kind of pressure of them at all. Girls so obviously have it harder with this, there are so many that I know personally who keep saying they are "fat" when they are perfectly fine. As a guy myself I personally like girls with a bit of extra junk in the trunk if you know what I mean and am not alone in that by a long shot, granted health should always come first but I just thought I would point that out.

[rarity1 461]

Girls have it worse, guys get to eat and gain weight (a calorie surplus) for body building.  Guys get worried when their weight drops, you don't know if that's muscle you're losing.

Edited July 27, 2014 by Synyster

[Frosty Nerd 833]

Women have it worse. That doesn't mean that men don't struggle, too.

 

Women have to be skinny, and men have to be ripped. I've read somewhere that men prefer women to be plumper than what women think men want, and women's ideal of men is less ripped than what men think women want. Anyway, I'm self-conscious about my acne, unwanted facial hair, and my extremely hairy thighs.

 

My BMI is either 19 or 20, which is borderline underweight. That's just the way I am. I eat fast food and junk food sparingly, not to watch my weight, but to watch my arteries. I care about having a healthy cardiovascular system that is not clogged with plaque. I have a healthy appetite, and, like Pinkie Pie, I love sweets and baked goods, but while I don't have much self control over eating them, I have self control over whether I buy them or not. I pay attention to the nutrition facts on labels. I don't care too much about the calorie count. I care about getting the individual nutrients in healthy quantities. I guess I'm just rambling now.

 

Both men and women need to do what is healthy, because healthy is attractive, and being healthy will improve the quality of your life. It would be a good idea if everyone could take a nutrition class. I have a fair amount of knowledge in nutrition and human anatomy and physiology, and I know tidbits of information on the psychology of what each sex finds attractive, so I can tell you that it is both healthy and attractive for women to have a normal weight or even to be a little overweight. The science lies behind bearing offspring. It is important for a woman to have enough fat reserves during pregnancy and nursing. The natural menstrual cycle is disturbed if a woman is too underweight. This is the body's natural defense against becoming pregnant when the body is obviously in no condition for a pregnancy.

 

So, girl to girl, just be healthy. You can look at a BMI chart to figure out what weight is healthy for your height.

Edited July 27, 2014 by Frosty Nerd

[Admiral Regulus 2,769]

Girls have it worse, by far. I'm not too fond of my appearance as a guy, but I'd never lose sleep over it, or anything.

 

It bothers me more that my roommate has a better PC than I do. Now that is important; that's something I lose sleep over.

[Jennabun 1,579]

 

 

The worst part is I've heard of girls that got bullied for being pretty!

Yeah, you really can't win. If you're not traditionally pretty, people say you're not trying hard enough and that you need to fix yourself. If you are traditionally pretty, people will say you're trying to be pretty "just for attention" and people will call you a slut, whore, etc... uggggggggggh. :okiedokielokie:  It doesn't make sense.

[Hovershy 3,814]

Girls most definitley have it worse when it come to things like this. That's not to say guys have it easy, but girls are literally starving themselves and making themselves vomit just to lose weight. That's just messed up and its not healthy.  Something really has to change in that department. It's not okay.

 

Like I said guys have it tough too sometimes. Society expects guys to "be jacked" and stuff.    I'm a little self conscious about being underweight myself. People should understand that making fun of someone for being too skinny can sometimes be just as hurtful as making fun of someone for being fat. Especially for guys.

 

I honestly wish people would just mind their own business sometimes.  -_-

[Sugar Pea 2,682]

Everyone questions their weight every once in a while. If I had to say, I think girls have it worse. Be honest, I know a lot of guys claim that it doesn't matter. Not from what I've seen IRL. A ton of guys, so I've witnessed, go after the slim, pretty, popular girls.

 

This leaves girls who aren't self confident of themselves to have low self esteem, which pressures them to become something their not (Or at least try to). Why do you think you see girls caking themselves with makeup, or try to be anything other than themselves? This doesn't just go for boys, but girls are just as bad when it comes down to prejudice amongst ourselves!

 

I'm not saying guys don't have similar problems, but most girls are expected to be beauty queens, or a real life Cindy Crawford.