"A dad bod is not only tolerated, it’s lauded in society… but from the moment a mom gives birth, there is a plethora of messaging out there indicating that in order to recover well, she has to 'bounce back' to her pre-baby weight…instead of being put on a pedestal for birthing an actual human being."
—Jennifer Wolkin, licensed psychologist
January 6, 2022
The gist:
Unlike femininity, masculinity is not predominantly defined by beauty. “Past research has shown that beauty is more essential to feminine than masculine gender roles, and body size is a more relevant factor of self-worth in women.” And furthermore, “we tend to be more forgiving toward men who deviate from dominant beauty standards of muscularity ‘because there is less emphasis on the way he looks, and perhaps more so on how smart he is, how athletic he is, or if he is a good 'breadwinner' for his family,’” says Samantha Kwan, an associate professor in sociology at the University of Houston.
She continues, “these dominant feminine ideals of thinness (but not too thin) are difficult to challenge in a society that rewards women for conforming and punishes women for deviating,” and “we expect women to spend time and money to conform to this ideal.”
Can social media help, not hurt?
The Stats:
- The body positivity and body neutrality movements have exemplified this need for change. Many influencers like Sarah Komers have used their platforms to display honest looks at their postpartum bodies while clapping back at body shamers who suggest tummy tucks.
- "Social media has given a platform to those who are outspoken against fatphobia, thin privilege, and other harmful messages…The messaging needs to focus on staying mentally healthy and vital, and not on needing to look a certain way to feel worthy."
- "The more, we, as a society, can turn away from damaging body-image tropes, and turn toward body acceptance, combined with continued visibility of role models who both denounce 'thin as better,' and who themselves have bodies of different shapes and sizes, the healthier we will all become."
Link to the USA Today post here.
