Is body shaming negatively impacting peoples' health

[Grand Admiral Crunch]

This Model Body-Shaming Someone At The Gym Was My Worst Fear When I Started My Weight-Loss Journey - SELF

Just like many people, I can be hard on myself when it comes to my body. But just imagine how you’d feel if you knew someone was publicly judging you behind your back for daring to show your body in a gym locker room. Playboy’s Dani Mathers recently made headlines and was banned from her gym for posting a Snapchat of a naked woman in the locker room that poked fun at her body with the caption, “If I can’t unsee this, then you can’t either.”

Classy? Far from it. That poor woman, judged without knowing, for just trying to better herself. It’s something so many of us are self-conscious about, not only in the locker room, but on the gym floor too. I’ve been there; when I first started my weight-loss journey, I would go to the gym and wonder, What is the person next to me thinking?

I remember what it used to be like, lacing up my sneakers and nervously making my way to the gym floor. Flash back to eight years ago, when I weighed 70 pounds more than I do now. After a steamy summer spent discovering that I was actually capable of running and setting my mind to changing my lifestyle for the better, fall came and I had to bring my newfound stride indoors to my local gym. Stepping onto the treadmill in my cotton leggings and oversized sorority T-shirt, I felt paranoid. Strangers’ gazes weighed down heavily on my shoulders. I was self conscious. I wondered what others, clad in designer tights and perfectly coordinated sports bras, thought of my appearance. To my right, high school athletes slayed through their sixth round of sprints. My left? Supermom who had already done 12 errands, all before checking off mile 12 on the stationary bike, abs in tow.

It was hard to watch these aesthetically perfect humans effortlessly burning through calories while I just focused on one, comparatively easy goal: Three miles, every time. I was constantly thinking that others were watching what I was doing, and judging me for it. Stories like Mathers just point to how sometimes these worst fears can be warranted, no matter who you are. Just ask barre instructors Megan Ellis and Taryn Sisco, who were sent an anonymous body-shaming note after a picture of them appeared in their local newspaper. Even Anne Hathaway had to deal with a body-shaming trainer when she headed back to the gym after having her son. Gym bullies don’t discriminate.

Dealing with body shamers is just one obstacle you can face when you’re starting a fitness routine, and it’s a big one. But trust me, it’s worth it to do your best to ignore the negativity. As I got more comfortable with being at the gym, I realized that most of the time, no one was paying attention to what I was doing. And if they were, so what? While bullies like Mathers exist, it’s important to know in the end that most people aren’t her. Most people are focused on their own workouts and accomplishments, and you should be too. Shove aside the negativity, and you may be surprised at what you’re capable of. For me, I never could’ve anticipated what those 30-minute cardio stints would amount to. Confidence. Happiness. An increasing love for fitness and activity. Now, having tackled a triathlon, run four marathons, and paced through more half marathons and 5Ks than I could even attempt to count, I’m a better person because I set goals in the first place. In that small gym on the Connecticut shoreline, I was working on me. That experience, stares and all, has given me my best self today.

 

[Tilt]

Yes. It's a sad state of affairs. I have been in the gym culture for the past few years and read up on the psychology of long-term change as it pertains to health behaviors. For many people, the gym/exercise becomes a social activity where your comrades encourage and challenge you. Without the social aspect, people are much more likely to fall off the wagon. But if there is the potential barrier of being judged and body-shaming, people are less likely to seek out the activities/people which could truly benefit their health goals.

Most of the trainers I have met/are friends with, along with most of their clients are decent people. What Dani Rather did was bit of a jerk move, more or less.

 

[ChocolateMoose123]

I'm wondering how often this happens. Anyone I know would NEVER shame anyone for working out, no matter what their size is.
I think the opposite. That it takes tremendous guts to start working out when you are so new to it.

Picking a good gym is important. I like smaller, no chain-type ones. Provided the gym owners/trainers have the proper credentials. For me, that means they put their money where their mouth is. They are present and active in day to day running.

it really is like family. They know you by name and it fosters that desire to come back.

This woman sounds like a c**t. Definitely not the majority.

 

[EJCC]

‘Fat shaming’ doesn’t encourage weight loss

 

[Forever]

I would think any kind of shaming does psychological damage.

 

[EJCC]

I would think any kind of shaming does psychological damage.

You'd think this would be obvious, but the news media, the fashion industry, Hollywood, and many medical professionals disagree...

 

[kyuuei]

... Since I know people react differently, absolutely. Some people feel defeated and pull away... I can't understand that, because I'd rather start a riot than have someone push me down and have the last word of it. But it is a really common response to just be stunned, stay quiet, and maybe even think "well maybe this isn't the right place for me..." .. or whatever toxic thing it is those ugly people put into peoples' heads.

What I really hate the most is people disguising their judgments as 'concern' for fitness. If you were truly worried about fat people 'being healthy' then at the end of the day you'd be crazy about working with them. "Hey, wanna work out together?" "Hey, do you want to maybe do a meal swap thing during the work week?" "Hey I noticed you're here at the gym, what are your goals?" These are the questions people concerned with fitness ask. People trying to 'unsee' a normal person isn't concerned with anyone's physical or mental state except the state of their mental dick they're constantly stroking.

If it soothes anyone else's soul, it's still up in the air whether she'll be criminally charged, but she has had a lot of the normal fluffy white-people stuff revoked like her gym membership, and her ability to have a twitter account. And then there's always the youtube comments. Omg they are phenomenal.

 

[Forever]

You'd think this would be obvious, but the news media, the fashion industry, Hollywood, and many medical professionals disagree...

Ugh, I mean come on really?

Have they forgotten about constructive criticism and the benefit of positive feedback? I mean you would think that the majority of the scientific psychological community would have seen that through and move on and everyone would learn that simply and quite easily.

 

[Thalassa]

Yeah this is just shitty and weird, I wonder if Dani Mathers has a personality disorder, because that's a really nasty and bizarre thing for a grown woman to do, even among friends, let alone on a public account. It's interesting to me that she has worked for Playboy. She may sincerely believe a woman's only worth is in her appearance which is not only disgusting in this case but will also harm her in the long run psychologically.

I get frustrated with people who are overly lazy or self indulgent, so I certainly wouldn't shame anyone who was trying to get some exercise.

 

[Thalassa]

Ugh, I mean come on really?

Have they forgotten about constructive criticism and the benefit of positive feedback? I mean you would think that the majority of the scientific psychological community would have seen that through and move on and everyone would learn that simply and quite easily.

I'm just thinking maybe it's all she's ever experienced herself. That the reason she's so appearance focused is because of abuse in her own life. I go to Korean spas sometimes and women of all ages, races and sizes parade around naked, shamelessly. It's possible that Dani Mathers has been groomed her entire life to only see herself and other people as objects. What she did isn't even normal for someone older than middle school.

 

[Bush]

On another note, I'm glad that Mathers got the attention she deserved for being a cruel bitch

 

[Lexicon]

I sincerely hope this woman never works as a model again. What a vile, vapid excuse for a human being.

She'd better face some criminal charges as well. A civil suit for the victim would be nice. If she can afford to [over]inject her lips with dermal fillers, she can probably afford to pay the victim's gym membership for awhile.

At the very least - I'm pretty sure this falls under "disorderly conduct" under California State law - at the very least.


CALIFORNIA

CAL.PENAL CODE§ 647 Disorderly conduct;

Every person who commits any of the following acts is guilty of disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor:


(3) (A) Any person who uses a concealed camcorder, motion picture camera, or photographic camera of any type, to secretly videotape, film, photograph, or record by electronic means, another, identifiable person who may be in a state of full or partial undress, for the purpose of viewing the body of, or the undergarments worn by, that other person, without the consent or knowledge of that other person, in the interior of a bedroom, bathroom, changing room, fitting room, dressing room, or tanning booth, or the interior of any other area in which that other person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, with the intent to invade the privacy of that other person.



:: Edit ::

Actually, this might fall under felony charges, too.

18 U.S. Code § 1801 - Video voyeurism - "Whoever, in the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, has the intent to capture an image of a private area of an individual without their consent, and knowingly does so under circumstances in which the individual has a reasonable expectation of privacy, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

(1) the term “capture”, with respect to an image, means to videotape, photograph, film, record by any means, or broadcast;

(2) the term “broadcast” means to electronically transmit a visual image with the intent that it be viewed by a person or persons;"

 

[prplchknz]

... Since I know people react differently, absolutely. Some people feel defeated and pull away... I can't understand that, because I'd rather start a riot than have someone push me down and have the last word of it. But it is a really common response to just be stunned, stay quiet, and maybe even think "well maybe this isn't the right place for me..." .. or whatever toxic thing it is those ugly people put into peoples' heads.

What I really hate the most is people disguising their judgments as 'concern' for fitness. If you were truly worried about fat people 'being healthy' then at the end of the day you'd be crazy about working with them. "Hey, wanna work out together?" "Hey, do you want to maybe do a meal swap thing during the work week?" "Hey I noticed you're here at the gym, what are your goals?" These are the questions people concerned with fitness ask. People trying to 'unsee' a normal person isn't concerned with anyone's physical or mental state except the state of their mental dick they're constantly stroking.

If it soothes anyone else's soul, it's still up in the air whether she'll be criminally charged, but she has had a lot of the normal fluffy white-people stuff revoked like her gym membership, and her ability to have a twitter account. And then there's always the youtube comments. Omg they are phenomenal.

exactly i have a neighbor who is over weight and he's been talking about wanting to lose weight. so i was like i think i'm gonna start hiking at state park that's about 5-10 minutes from here do you want to come? also because i want to lose a little bit of weight we'll see if both of us are motivated to actually go. the thing is i did not shame him, i just was like i'm doing this do you want to come? it's not gonna be a strenous work out, i'm thinking on the days i have to be on campus early and have like 3 hours between classes going to the fitness center and doing a more intense work out since to students its free and they have showers.

 

[prplchknz]

I sincerely hope this woman never works as a model again. What a vile, vapid excuse for a human being.

She'd better face some criminal charges as well. A civil suit for the victim would be nice. If she can afford to [over]inject her lips with dermal fillers, she can probably afford to pay the victim's gym membership for awhile.

At the very least - I'm pretty sure this falls under "disorderly conduct" under California State law - at the very least.


CALIFORNIA

CAL.PENAL CODE§ 647 Disorderly conduct;

Every person who commits any of the following acts is guilty of disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor:


(3) (A) Any person who uses a concealed camcorder, motion picture camera, or photographic camera of any type, to secretly videotape, film, photograph, or record by electronic means, another, identifiable person who may be in a state of full or partial undress, for the purpose of viewing the body of, or the undergarments worn by, that other person, without the consent or knowledge of that other person, in the interior of a bedroom, bathroom, changing room, fitting room, dressing room, or tanning booth, or the interior of any other area in which that other person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, with the intent to invade the privacy of that other person.

apparently the gym had contacted the police after the incident and reported it

Playboy Playmate Dani Mathers: Creepy Pic Triggers Police Report, Gym Outrage | TMZ.com

so that's good doubt anything will come of it because she's rich pretty and white.

 

[Lexicon]

so that's good doubt anything will come of it because she's rich pretty and white.

Yeah, but she's burying herself with her ridiculous apology video/tweets/other social media crap. "I only meant to send it to ONE person" - like, no fucking remorse for having done it in the first place. Taking the photo at all was illegal. Distributing it is another crime, as well, I'm pretty sure.

It'd be great if the system made an example out of her, since it's gained such exposure & notoriety.

 

[prplchknz]

Yeah, but she's burying herself with her ridiculous apology video/tweets/other social media crap. "I only meant to send it to ONE person" - like, no fucking remorse for having done it in the first place. Taking the photo at all was illegal. Distributing it is another crime, as well, I'm pretty sure.

It'd be great if the system made an example out of her, since it's gained such exposure & notoriety.

I also don't think it was a mistake that she sent it out publically maybe it was and i just don't like people who do stuff like that.

 

[Evo]

... Since I know people react differently, absolutely. Some people feel defeated and pull away... I can't understand that, because I'd rather start a riot than have someone push me down and have the last word of it.

Yup, I'd totally rebel and bring it to the next level, because I would not want someone to get away with that shit.

Also it always makes me laugh that people are self conscious at the gym in the first place. It's where you go to get in shape.... I mean it's the fundamental reason you're there.

 

[Lexicon]

I also don't think it was a mistake that she sent it out publically maybe it was and i just don't like people who do stuff like that.

I don't think it was unintentional, either. Snapchat's been around for awhile, now - I very much doubt she's extremely new to it. Even if it were accidental.. it's like.. so you were only going to violate & degrade this person by photographing them naked without consent/making a stylized mockery out of it to share with just ONE person? It doesn't make it any better.


I hope that, if the victim recognizes herself, she doesn't allow this to stop her from working out at a gym. Health is way more important than what some nasty blowupdoll thinks of her.

 

[prplchknz]

I don't think it was unintentional, either. Snapchat's been around for awhile, now - I very much doubt she's extremely new to it. Even if it were accidental.. it's like.. so you were only going to violate & degrade this person by photographing them naked without consent/making a stylized mockery out of it to share with just ONE person? It doesn't make it any better.


I hope that, if the victim recognizes herself, she doesn't allow this to stop her from working out at a gym. Health is way more important than what some nasty blowupdoll thinks of her.

I agree. I've never used snapchat i had the app for a bit then i was like nope don't actually care. and she's a model and so that means to stay relevant she has to use snapchat.

 

[ChocolateMoose123]

An apology is automatically disingenuous. She's sorry she got in trouble. The most anyone can hope is this makes her take a look at her POV and re-think it.

It's hard to apologize for disgust in another human being because of their physical appearance when you had to go through so many steps to make it known. It wasn't just a passing thought. It was deliberate to put it out into the world.

But [MENTION=6877]Thalassa[/MENTION] has a point. This woman, by the nature of her profession, probably places all her worth in her appearance. It's like my lesbian friend who told me all the people in high school who were so hateful toward her, ended up coming out themselves.

This woman is probably so insecure about her appearance herself. Seeing someone who isn't as ashamed probably angers someone like that.

She should at least recognize that while she opted for the easy way out of insecurity (through plastic surgery to fit a Barbie ideal) this other woman was doing it through hard work.

Yet again, how do you judge someone? You don't know if they just had a child, an eating disorder, a health issue...

Yeah. Obesity is a problem but people like this are the flip side of that. They have unhealthy views of physical appearance just as someone has an unhealthy relationship with food.