So you've heard the complaining before about how unrealistic female video game characters are compared to real life women. "Their bodies are impossible". "It's an unrealistic expectation for our youth." Etc.
Bulimia.com did a piece on the issue where they actually altered famous video game characters to reflect "the average american body". Go to that link and take a look, although the same images will be shown below.
I get so sick and tired of hearing about how "real bodies" look. I realize not everyone is an underwear model and THAT'S OK! However, what's not ok is to pretend that an unhealthy lifestyle is normal. A few extra pounds is fine, and our busy lifestyles make working out or watching what we eat tough. I get that. However being obese and pretending it's beautiful is as damaging as pushing "unrealistic body images".
If someone wants to be out of shape, that's their choice. However, stop trying to make everyone else pretend it isn't your choice. I'm out of shape and it's because I work, have kids, have a wife, and I'm too lazy to fit time in to get into shape. That's MY FAULT. (And something I've been working on correcting.) Just because I'm out of shape doesn't mean models and action heroes need to look more like me.
And that's an important qualifier that always seems to be forgotten by the "this is unrealistic folks". These characters have very active lifestyles. Thus, they're going to naturally be in better shape than your average couch potato or mother of 2 who has little time to exercise.
And shouldn't that be the message? "Being in peak physical shape takes effort, but we should all strive to achieve that goal."
Instead we get something along the lines of "That's hard work and big is beautiful so be proud of who you are."
I don't mean to offend if I have, but I'm ranting as this topic is close to my heart. I've watched family die due to self inflicted weight issues, so it hits close to home.
Anyway, someone took the bulimia.com images and added a third one. The best part is that the third image is an untouched photo of a real life woman whose body matches that of the original unaltered character.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
Chicks are rather catty. I really think that's the root of all this. The good looking women that are in shape rarely complain about unrealistic body images.
"... and then I was forced to walk the Trail of Tears." - Elizabeth Warren
My wife is fairly petite, and gets a little ranty about the fat promoters. Not massively ranty, but she feels like they're attacking her for what are their flaws.
Yeah, when I was dating college chicks they almost all looked like the "unrealistic" pics. This shit is getting out of hand. It's getting out of hand and we'll be lucky to live through it.
"Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid."
You've convinced me to spend 15 minutes on the "fat shaming tumblr" - because it's Friday and I need some laughs.
People told me for the longest time I was only skinny because I was young. Now i'm 30 and I'm still skinny and they still aren't. It's all about how you live your life. Be active, be healthy, ball hard.
Vince wrote:Chicks are rather catty. I really think that's the root of all this. The good looking women that are in shape rarely complain about unrealistic body images.
Nor, for that matter, do men, since we're rarely summed up by our appearance.
Vince wrote:Chicks are rather catty. I really think that's the root of all this. The good looking women that are in shape rarely complain about unrealistic body images.
Nor, for that matter, do men, since we're rarely summed up by our appearance.
Really? Let me know when the first bald guy gets elected in the era of televised US prez elections.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Malcolm wrote:Really? Let me know when the first bald guy gets elected in the era of televised US prez elections.
Vladimir Putin was elected in 2000 and again in 2012, though he's not the first.
Damnit, I should have qualified it with "US presidents," too. Thing is, you can find cultures in this world that would take the middle pic in every row. The video game culture has digital chicks tailored to its tastes.
Edited By Malcolm on 1438448623
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
And shouldn't that be the message? "Being in peak physical shape takes effort, but we should all strive to achieve that goal."
Instead we get something along the lines of "That's hard work and big is beautiful so be proud of who you are."
I think the truth for most people is somewhere between these two statements. The bit you are leaving out is genetics. Some people have a much easier time than others being in good shape simply due to genetics. Some people with poor genetics will never get there no matter how hard they try. Most people fall somewhere in between on the bell curve.
"ATTENTION: Customers browsing porn must hold magazines with both hands at all times!"
Vince wrote:Chicks are rather catty. I really think that's the root of all this. The good looking women that are in shape rarely complain about unrealistic body images.
Nor, for that matter, do men, since we're rarely summed up by our appearance.
Yeah, that's not true at all...unless you were being sarcastic.
The difference is that society says it's ok to mock men and diminish men for being fat or short or anything except in perfect shape. Hell, even if they're in perfect shape they're the butt of jokes.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
I think it's generally true that men have less of their self-worth tied up in how they look compared to women. I don't think that's because society doesn't judge them as harshly. It's just part of the nature of our species; for humans women have the fancy plumage designed to attract a strong and competent mate. While for women their tendency is to worry about how they look, the equivalent for men would be displays of power - whether in terms of wealth, influence, politics, or even just "hey look what I can do" (does a stupid dangerous stunt) - as a display of strength and competence.
That's all generalizations and trends, of course, so there are plenty of exceptions and individuals that don't conform to those trends. But it seems to be the baseline default for each gender.
EDIT: This is reflected in the standard insults lobbed at each gender. Women often get called fat or ugly; insults regarding their physical appearence. Men often get called loser and or are accused of living in their mother's basement; insults regarding their lack of power. Rarely do you hear a woman referred to as a loser, and while sometimes a man might be called fat or ugly they are still even when that applies more likely to be called loser instead.
EDIT2: And of course none of this is ground-breaking. While I'm all about freedom of expression even when it comes to matter of gender, there's a tendency in those of those on that side of things to want to completely dispose of the fundamental evolutions that informs most people's basic forms of gender expression. And I think outright claiming it just ain't so isn't really helping. For many people it is so. All that needs to be asserted is that it doesn't have to be so for anyone that has other tendencies, and that this should be recognized as being just fine and dandy rather than being a point of contention and oppression as it has been in the past.
Edited By TPRJones on 1438659838
"ATTENTION: Customers browsing porn must hold magazines with both hands at all times!"
Leisher wrote:Yeah, that's not true at all...unless you were being sarcastic.
The difference is that society says it's ok to mock men and diminish men for being fat or short or anything except in perfect shape. Hell, even if they're in perfect shape they're the butt of jokes.
I saw a picture once of a hot young woman and an older, balding fat guy frolicking in the waves, and the caption was, "Guys! Work hard and be successful and you can have this!"
Then the same picture was repeated and the caption was, "Ladies! Work hard and be successful or you'll end up with this!"
Wish I could find the pic again.
"Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid."
"This isn't just about the body," Achiro says, "What this is really about is what the body represents for these men. It seems that the findings in part [show] this is a way of compensating for their insecurity or low self-esteem."
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Dudes just want to get laid and if you don't have money you need a nice body...
So it's your ego getting laid or your ego compensating for being poor. Sound self-esteemy to me.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
GORDON wrote:I don't know how you're doing it but I get laid with my penis.
Most dudes I know get laid by women, not their own genitals.
Edited By Malcolm on 1438985098
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
