I had this discussion with two friends yesterday Andy & Verity while training, and what sparked this blog was a few hours after our conversation we see coach Travis Mash post the exact same thing with the exact same view of what i said that day regarding fit shaming.
So i decided to write this as for me it is a real problem, and to see other coaches discuss the same thing with the same passion i see it must be a much wider issue then just what i am seeing. The interesting part to this is that i see females as the biggest culprits to the problem, given that insecurity is already quite wide spread issue, I would like to think that more females would be better understand and sensitive to the issue, but it seems it helps them mentally guard themselves from their own insecurities from being around someone who looks much fitter than them?
Let me pose this question to you!
Would you walk up to an obese individual, and comment "jeez your legs are huge!!" "gosh your arms are massive!"
WELL i would say 95% of you have just said no, and the other 5% are talking shit cause you wouldn't do it.
Now what makes you think that because a female trains hard, eats well and takes care of their body that all of a sudden you can do it to them? you realise training doesn't make you emotionless right?
Training doesn't automatically remove your feelings and insecurity!
So my point is, NO it is not ok to walking up to a female who takes pride in her strength achievements to bring them down just so you don't feel so weak and worthless around them and tell them their "QUADS LOOK HUGE in that dress" or that their "ARMS ARE SO MANLY". Guess what, yes they are proud of their hard work and what it has done to their body but those comments still hurt, and still make them insecure about how they look.
For so long, it was not ok for women to train, and compete, and get strong, they had to stay home and do the washing and the cooking and do stereotypical female things. We have evolved into a world where we are now seeing females bring out their true athletic and strength potential, more female sport participation and more female gym participation then ever before. Strong female individuals, and a more excepting community of women breaking the norms, yet so many females are bringing them selves down when you should be banding together!
YES, males are a big problem too! We all need to stop thinking it is ok to fit shame some one even if it is innocent. You wouldn't tell an obese person they look massive, or they shouldn't be eating that. So let's stop making it ok for individuals who decide to take care of them selves, get strong and feel healthy and confident in their body!
STOP telling ladies they look " masculine", "they look MASSIVE", "their legs are HUGE", that they are "allowed to eat some cake every now and then and relax on the chicken and vegetables". Stop telling females, "don't you think thats enough before you become too manly"
The fact f the matter is, every time you do so your just being an ASSHOLE, exposing you own insecurities and guess what, you have no damn right to think you can have an opinion on what some one else does with their body and how they look SIMPLE!.
I think it's time for females who are a victim of these comments, to stand up and remind people how it feels to have people make comments about them. Remind people that no matter how confident you are, putting shit om someones hard work and exposing to people in public your thoughts on how they look is wrong and hurtful!
I would love you to share this blog especially if your a victim of these and just remind your friends and family on social media that you don't appreciate and that it is not ok!!!
We need more people to see this and change this bullshit!
Coach Yannick!!!
continuing to make females stronger than weak insecure society!