October 23, 2014
Too Skinny for Fitspo?
We have championed the positive acceptance of different body shapes and sizes. We know that not every "skinny" person has a medical condition, just like it is possible to be "fit" and healthy in a larger frame. The labels "skinny" and "fit" are highly subjective and can cause all kinds of misunderstandings, judgement and fear. No matter how you enter into a conversation about other people's bodies you are walking on egg shells into a mine field. That said, we came across a "fitspo" (fitness inspiration) photo on Instagram recently that caught our attention - not so much for the photo, but for the comments followers left under the picture.
Comments included:
- "This girl is dying"
- "This girl is sick"
They also swung in the opposite direction:
- "Perfect Body"
- "Gorgeous"
We are no strangers to these types of comments and judgements. Lisa-Marie who leads our free daily fat incinerating workout series HiitMax is routinely boxed into a label - sometimes good and sometimes bad.
[caption id="attachment_57383" align="aligncenter" width="750"]
Lisa-Marie. Host of HiitMax Workouts[/caption]
Despite the labels we apply to ourselves and others, at some point someone has to take responsibility for what is being communicated. If we see something that we feel is sending the wrong message, or that invites genuine concern there has to be a better way to address it than through a negative campaign of aggressive labelling. Clearly statements like "she is dying" invites shame and is highly critical. But if you are say a parent who has legitimate concerns that your teenage daughter will aspire to an unhealthy body type how do you address your responsibly without attacking and marginalizing the living breathing human being on the other end of that image? When do subjective preferences about what is considered "attractive" or "fit" cross the line into something that can be potentially harmful?
Please share your thoughts below!
Comments included:
- "This girl is dying"
- "This girl is sick"
They also swung in the opposite direction:
- "Perfect Body"
- "Gorgeous"
We are no strangers to these types of comments and judgements. Lisa-Marie who leads our free daily fat incinerating workout series HiitMax is routinely boxed into a label - sometimes good and sometimes bad.
[caption id="attachment_57383" align="aligncenter" width="750"]
Lisa-Marie. Host of HiitMax Workouts[/caption]
Despite the labels we apply to ourselves and others, at some point someone has to take responsibility for what is being communicated. If we see something that we feel is sending the wrong message, or that invites genuine concern there has to be a better way to address it than through a negative campaign of aggressive labelling. Clearly statements like "she is dying" invites shame and is highly critical. But if you are say a parent who has legitimate concerns that your teenage daughter will aspire to an unhealthy body type how do you address your responsibly without attacking and marginalizing the living breathing human being on the other end of that image? When do subjective preferences about what is considered "attractive" or "fit" cross the line into something that can be potentially harmful?
Please share your thoughts below!