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[grumble]

Fit shaming is now a mayoral duty.


I approve.

Honestly what is next? Ban anything that makes you feel bad? Images of people who are richer than you, have more fun than you, have better faces than you, are smarter than you? Should we ban hot people from movies and tv, or fine them for being too fit?

 

[kavanf1]

On the next episode of Picking the Wrong Battles: Mayor of California calls for porn stars to be cock shamed, claims "porn should only be made by men with average cocks".

 

[Jams775]

Isn't that up to the people themselves? Why should the mayor of London regulate that people don't feel like shit?

And where does that end. Because then you need to ban a ton of women from playing in Hollywood movies, tv commercials, magazines, tv shows, you name it. 99% of people won't look like Scarlett Johansson or Brad Pitt.


But the ad people were so upset about was a real body. I agree that a very photoshopped body shouldn't be the norm. But this conversation didn't start with that. It started with a real model that looked like that and people got upset. So now we want to ban that because some get hurt by an image?

If it has become so normalized, why do the far majority of people not aim to look like that anyway? The Western world is massively obese and continues to become more so. I feel this issue is blown way out of proportion with bans like this, instead of looking at the real problem of actual unhealthy people and the continued acceptance of that.

Polluting the environment is not a good comparison I think, since that is something measurable and objectively hurtful. You can get sick from it or die even.

The psychological toll on women has been well documented. To the point where the government should probably step in and regulate how the media pushes things because they can push too far. You can argue against it but I only see it as being a step in the right direction for the mental well being of people. There's good things in pushing against turning the culture against vanity. I think the same should be done for materialism to be honest. The government can be a big help in this. Life isn't all about looks despite what you see in the subway. Just like life isn't all about money and having more than the Joneses.

 

[Boney]

Isn't that up to the people themselves? Why should the mayor of London regulate that people don't feel like shit?

And where does that end. Because then you need to ban a ton of women from playing in Hollywood movies, tv commercials, magazines, tv shows, you name it. 99% of people won't look like Scarlett Johansson or Brad Pitt.


But the ad people were so upset about was a real body. I agree that a very photoshopped body shouldn't be the norm. But this conversation didn't start with that. It started with a real model that looked like that and people got upset. So now we want to ban that because some get hurt by an image?

If it has become so normalized, why do the far majority of people not aim to look like that anyway? The Western world is massively obese and continues to become more so. I feel this issue is blown way out of proportion with bans like this, instead of looking at the real problem of actual unhealthy people and the continued acceptance of that.

Polluting the environment is not a good comparison I think, since that is something measurable and objectively hurtful. You can get sick from it or die even.

I'm saying that non photoshopped bodies of a completely healthy, fit, beautiful person can have detrimental effects when it comes to communication. It's not the body or body type itself, it's in the context in which it is framed that causes issues .

And of course it has become normalized. Without even taking account how predominant it is in the media, there's an ingrained collective beauty standard of the "white man/women" with the strong upper torso and incredibly slim body for women. Just because people can't reach that standard it doesn't mean it's not there. Longer working hours that involve more and more sedentary work, coupled with bad sleeping and eating habits makes it incredibly hard for people to look like that. The natural answer is, don't eat shit food, and I agree it is poisonous, but it's not an easy route for everybody with women being in the workplace and the low income most people recieve in relation to how cheap and fast those meals are (should be taxed higher agreed).

In fact, if you're not wealthy enough to have more leisure hours and are not doing physical labour, it's going to be incredibly hard for someone to stay fit.

The point is that it's a multidimensional problem that needs to be addressed in all angles. And yes overweight is a much bigger issue, yet disregarding body image problems as not an actual problem and just "fat/ugly (ugly is implicit) just want excuses to stay fat" is also super dangerous and un constructive to the problems at hand.

Body image can kill. Further scrunity as to what is a positive portrayal of body types can only be a good thing because it starts a conversation.

Well if it worked in the 1920's with alcohol...

There's a very big chance that crime syndicates will form in relation to the trafficking of unhealthy portrayals of body image, that will involve other heavy criminal activity in order to maintain the monopoly the advertisement in the black market. But I'm willing to risk it.

Are you high?

 

[LosDaddie]

Honestly what is next? Ban anything that makes you feel bad? Images of people who are richer than you, have more fun than you, have better faces than you, are smarter than you? Should we ban hot people from movies and tv, or fine them for being too fit?

Maybe it's banning middle aged dudes with full heads of hair? Don't want bald guys getting triggered.

What's the average height of people? Maybe we need to ban tall people over the average.

 

[Talents]

At first I was confused because there was no way Boris Johnson would do this shit. I didn't even know there was a new mayor. Not off to a good start.

 

[Greddleok]

I
In fact, if you're not wealthy enough to have more leisure hours and are not doing physical labour, it's going to be incredibly hard for someone to stay fit.

You make a lot of good points, but this one I completely disagree with. It's incredibly easy. We are talking about people in the UK. They don't work more hours on average than many in Europe. They are more wealthy on average than many in Europe. Yet the UK is the fattest by a decent margin.

You'd expect those to correlate if your idea was true.

 

[Snowman Prophet of Doom]

Silly nanny-state bullshit. You could extend the same logic and say that advertising using people with symmetrical, proportionate faces is unfair and foists an unrealistic standard on people, and you'd have an even better case because, unlike weight, you really can't do anything about whether you have well-distributed facial features! Even if you banned advertising altogether, people are not insensate to the existence of more attractive people around them and will find other ways to obsess, the human mind being inherently social and, therefore, comparative.

 

[Boney]

You make a lot of good points, but this one I completely disagree with. It's incredibly easy. We are talking about people in the UK. They don't work more hours on average than many in Europe. They are more wealthy on average than many in Europe. Yet the UK is the fattest by a decent margin.

You'd expect those to correlate if your idea was true.

Ah yes here you got me, I'm coming from a "third world country" so I may be wrong in that aspect.
Thanks!

 

[Rabbi_Vole]

On the next episode of Picking the Wrong Battles: Mayor of California calls for porn stars to be cock shamed, claims "porn should only be made by men with average cocks".

I was about to make a similar post. 72% of males who watch BD porn resort to dangerous penile enlargement gimmicks like unapproved supplements, damaging weight training, nerve-destroying jelking, and strained vocal chords from yelling at their genitals.

 

[Transhuman]

I'm saying that non photoshopped bodies of a completely healthy, fit, beautiful person can have detrimental effects when it comes to communication. It's not the body or body type itself, it's in the context in which it is framed that causes issues .

You think if there was an ad of a fit model climbing a wall or surfing at the beach in running shorts or a bathing suit or whatever people would see that ad and wouldn't feel shit about themselves? They'd probably feel even more shit about themselves because here they are on the subway and they have to stare at this person who is hot and gets to do awesome stuff like go surfing.

 

[ClosingADoor]

The psychological toll on women has been well documented. To the point where the government should probably step in and regulate how the media pushes things because they can push too far. You can argue against it but I only see it as being a step in the right direction for the mental well being of people. There's good things in pushing against turning the culture against vanity. I think the same should be done for materialism to be honest. The government can be a big help in this. Life isn't all about looks despite what you see in the subway. Just like life isn't all about money and having more than the Joneses.

I'm saying that non photoshopped bodies of a completely healthy, fit, beautiful person can have detrimental effects when it comes to communication. It's not the body or body type itself, it's in the context in which it is framed that causes issues.

And of course it has become normalized. Without even taking account how predominant it is in the media, there's an ingrained collective beauty standard of the "white man/women" with the strong upper torso and incredibly slim body for women. Just because people can't reach that standard it doesn't mean it's not there. Longer working hours that involve more and more sedentary work, coupled with bad sleeping and eating habits makes it incredibly hard for people to look like that. The natural answer is, don't eat shit food, and I agree it is poisonous, but it's not an easy route for everybody with women being in the workplace and the low income most people recieve in relation to how cheap and fast those meals are (should be taxed higher agreed).

In fact, if you're not wealthy enough to have more leisure hours and are not doing physical labour, it's going to be incredibly hard for someone to stay fit.

The point is that it's a multidimensional problem that needs to be addressed in all angles. And yes overweight is a much bigger issue, yet disregarding body image problems as not an actual problem and just "fat/ugly (ugly is implicit) just want excuses to stay fat" is also super dangerous and un constructive to the problems at hand.

Body image can kill. Further scrunity as to what is a positive portrayal of body types can only be a good thing because it starts a conversation.

I think the issue is overblown, certainly to ban ads in one city when there is already a nation wide organisation to look after these things. It's useless.

If you want to promote a better body image, then promote that, don't go around banning ads. The ad that caused such an uproar online was perfectly fine and ads like that don't have to be banned. If some people can't deal with that, maybe the issue is with them and for kids with the parenting.

I also see your solution to unhealthy food is tax it higher, Boney. That is again punishment for something. I rather take the other approach and make healthy food more accessible and cheaper. That's the difference in opinion here I think. I'm against banning and taxing this kind of stuff, and think if you want change in that way it should go the other way and have positive reinforcement for those things.

 

[Ledhead]

While I do believe we should do away with the totally fake, photoshopped to hell body pics used in advertising, I also believe this sort of thing is a slippery slope. I believe holding up fitness as an ideal is a good thing. At least in Canada, the population is becoming increasingly overweight and obese, leading to a disproprotionate strain being placed on our healthcare system stemming from preventable diseases like Diabetes, etc...

 

[Greddleok]

You think if there was an ad of a fit model climbing a wall or surfing at the beach in running shorts or a bathing suit or whatever people would see that ad and wouldn't feel shit about themselves? They'd probably feel even more shit about themselves because here they are on the subway and they have to stare at this person who is hot and gets to do awesome stuff like go surfing.

It's the relevant context though. That's the point.

"Go to mountain climbing gym X, this is our ad promoting the experience showing someone doing it."

is completely different from

"Get thin, using our products, so you aren't embarrassed at the beach."

 

[Stinkles]

I find it hard to distinguish between ads and movies here. If he were planning to ban movies because movie stars are unrealistically beautiful, people would lose their shit.

Both are designed to extract money from consumers. Both present unrealistic and altered standards of beauty. Both present their problem characters on the side of London transit and advertising spaces.

It's censorship. I hope he's putting as much effort into education, which is a far better long term tool. And I hope, at least, it's being applied equally along gender lines.

 

[Quixzlizx]

I'm not OK with body-shaming attractive people.

 

[God Dayumm]

I don't get it, why is the beach body ad unrealistic?
My fiancee has that exact body, is she gonna get banned if she wears a bikini in the UK?

Your fiancee is not a Real Womyn™

 

[Gotdatmoney]

What is an unrealistic body? One photoshopped to hell? Or simply one where the people are at a fitness level most people do not want to achieve?

It's a hard topic because the vast majority of the population is not going to reach peak fitness but if you are trying to sell your ahit and you can find people who can reach high fitness and or are thin by nature why isnt that fair game for an ad? I use to be super thin just based off of high amounts of athletitcs and not being a big eater.

I dunno. I think the issue with this is a mix of people not eanting hurt feelings and the unrealistic beauty standards. But to.some extent a thin person is not an unrealistic standard in of itself. I think they need to ban photoshopping bodies more than anything.

 

[Boney]

I think the issue is overblown, certainly to ban ads in one city when there is already a nation wide organisation to look after these things. It's useless.

If you want to promote a better body image, then promote that, don't go around banning ads. The ad that caused such an uproar online was perfectly fine and ads like that don't have to be banned. If some people can't deal with that, maybe the issue is with them and for kids with the parenting.

I also see your solution to unhealthy food is tax it higher, Boney. That is again punishment for something. I rather take the other approach and make healthy food more accessible and cheaper. That's the difference in opinion here I think. I'm against banning and taxing this kind of stuff, and think if you want change in that way it should go the other way and have positive reinforcement for those things.

Fast food should be in the same categories as booze and cigarettes. There's well documented effects on health that end up being trespassed to the public sector in terms of health so it's not in the best interest of anybody for people to consume them other than the companies and people's wallets (which is a fine interest). I realize one is food, and it kinda puts it in a different position that booze and cigarettes, yet should still be unincentivised. Subsidies of local grown food should also be subsidized as possible as well as minimum wage be higher so expenses aren't dedicated so much at food, but the time aspect of fast food needs to be properly dissuaded I think. People have the right to eat what they want but should still be dissuaded from eating actual crap as much as possible.

We're going totally off topic here though m'bad.

 

[Rabbi_Vole]

Have the negative effects of constant government surveillance and interference been studied?

 

[Condom]

We need to take this further. We should also ban any ads that feature financially or emotionally successful people. We can't stop at physically successful people. Let's start celebrating poor life choices since the average person makes them.

I'm OK with this.

Fuck all those rich people in my advertising etc. why not celebrate the working class?

And LOL at acting like not being financially or emotionally successful is people's own fault.

 

[Dennis]

We need to take this further. We should also ban any ads that feature financially or emotionally successful people. We can't stop at physically successful people. Let's start celebrating poor life choices since the average person makes them.

Not just ads though.

This article triggered me like a motherfucker.

 

[pringles]

I find it hard to distinguish between ads and movies here. If he were planning to ban movies because movie stars are unrealistically beautiful, people would lose their shit.

I think movies are much less of an issue. In advertisting we're basically only seeing the 1% most beautiful part of the population (and the moment someone drops out of the 1% they stop getting work) but in movies we're at least seeing a somewhat bigger range because obviously not enough people in the 1% can act. Lots of succesful actors/actresses would never make it in the modeling world.
That said there's some overlapping issues, such as women having an increasingly more difficut time finding work the older they get or having pressure on them to stay in shape or even to lose weight despite already being what most would consider skinny.

While I do believe we should do away with the totally fake, photoshopped to hell body pics used in advertising, I also believe this sort of thing is a slippery slope. I believe holding up fitness as an ideal is a good thing. At least in Canada, the population is becoming increasingly overweight and obese, leading to a disproprotionate strain being placed on our healthcare system stemming from preventable diseases like Diabetes, etc...

Fitness should be an ideal but I think when the ideals become so difficult to reach for the vast majority of the population it becomes counter-productive. Women look at the models in advertising and say "I'll never look like that, no matter what" and it becomes discouraging. I mean something is wrong when even ridiculously hot women feel insecure about their bodies.

 

[TheSlySoul]

It's sad that this is even a thing that needs to be regulated, but it's a step in the right direction.

Hopefully yeah more places ban touch-ups with Photoshop.
Edit: Movies are a bit different because you cannot Photoshop a whole movie.

 

[GHG]

What's he going to do about the Daily Mail though?

Whenever I go on there I'm bombarded with "unrealistic" bodies flaunting their chiselled abs and voluptuous bosoms. And to think, it's the most visited website during lunch breaks in the UK, corrupting the minds of the youths and adults alike.

Come on Mayor, do the world a favour and sort it out will you?

 

[Tom Nook]

Bye bye Anime ads

 

[Bishop89]

This is stupid.

Dad bods, dad bods everywhere!

 

[mcz117chief]

I don't understand one thing though, what does "unrealistic bodies" mean? Are there people who are not realistic? Do they go outside our reality, take pictures there and come back? One thing is being mentally ill and having a bulimia or anorexia and another having a fit body gained through hard work and self-denial. Now it almost seems like we are shaming people who are fit for being better than some when it comes to physique.

 

[akira28]

I'm not OK with body-shaming attractive people.

lol

I don't think...thats..how that works.

Anyway, attractive people aren't going to feel the burn, but modelling execs and advert execs will probably have to widen their modelling pools.

i don't see why people are getting so pissed off with the "nanny goat state" this and that. He's not telling you how to tie your shoes, he talking to people who care very little what you think and are only trying to sell you something. People are acting like this affects them very personally.

 

[Cagey]

It's the relevant context though. That's the point.

"Go to mountain climbing gym X, this is our ad promoting the experience showing someone doing it."

is completely different from

"Get thin, using our products, so you aren't embarrassed at the beach."

Weight loss related supplements aren't to promote rock climbing, they're to promote people achieving aesthetic goals.

The relevant context to aesthetic goals is nice aesthetics, not a weekend hiking warrior.

 

[*Splinter]

Well that's a good way to lose support without actually doing anything... fucking Labour

 

[Skellig Gra]

I know we all want to see ads with some overweight guy/girl after they polished off a late night fry.

 

[Quixzlizx]

lol

I don't think...thats..how that works.

Anyway, attractive people aren't going to feel the burn, but modelling execs and advert execs will probably have to widen their modelling pools.

i don't see why people are getting so pissed off with the "nanny goat state" this and that. He's not telling you how to tie your shoes, he talking to people who care very little what you think and are only trying to sell you something. People are acting like this affects them very personally.

You're telling a real-life person that their physique is "unrealistic."

It would make more sense if he were banning ads with Photoshopped bodies.

 

[Gotdatmoney]

I don't understand one thing though, what does "unrealistic bodies" mean? Are there people who are not realistic? Do they go outside our reality, take pictures there and come back? One thing is being mentally ill and having a bulimia or anorexia and another having a fit body gained through hard work and self-denial. Now it almost seems like we are shaming people who are fit for being better than some when it comes to physique.

I dunno if I wiuld call thia fit shaming. I do agree its hard to say what a realistic bidy is though. To me a realistic body is one someone cam achieve without supplements. If you go to the gym or play a sport 4 times a week and eat well you can achieve a fit body. It's not a rocket science formula.

I think the issue is more that there are a lot of barriers that make doing those things more difficult than theyneed to be .

 

[radios shipping overview]

You're telling a real-life person that their physique is "unrealistic."

It would make more sense if he were banning ads with Photoshopped bodies.

We keep going round and round on this in here. You can be a real person and have a physique that is unattainable for the majority of the population for reasons that are more related to genetics than to fitness habits. This doesn't make you a bad or shameful or unrealistic person, but it's unrealistic for advertisers to imply that most people can achieve such a physique if they didn't win the lottery by birth to some extent.

And I understand that this is how advertising works, but that doesn't mean I have to like it, and doesn't excuse advertisers for promoting unhealthy ideals that contribute to anorexia and body dysmorphic disorder.

None of which is to say that it's bad to have good fitness habits. This discussion is actually not at all about everyday people who are already fit.

 

[akira28]

You're telling a real-life person that their physique is "unrealistic."

It would make more sense if he were banning ads with Photoshopped bodies.

people are making a lot of hay about the word with the scary quotes around them when its not really the point, though its the "controversial" focus because who is to say what is "realistic", which is probably why he said 'unhealthy and unrealistic' since he wasn't talking about David Becham in his skivvies but some waif thin borderline anorexic model in a loin cloth.


He's not being delicate, he's boxing their ears, and I'm ok with someone doing that for once instead of playing marshmallowy with press conferences and rhetoric.

 

[pringles]

I don't understand one thing though, what does "unrealistic bodies" mean? Are there people who are not realistic? Do they go outside our reality, take pictures there and come back? One thing is being mentally ill and having a bulimia or anorexia and another having a fit body gained through hard work and self-denial. Now it almost seems like we are shaming people who are fit for being better than some when it comes to physique.

Well a lot of advertising is heavily photoshopped so a lot of what you see actually is 'outside our reality'. Do you ever see cellulite in an ad? Stretch marks? Any kind of flaws what so ever on a model's skin?
That is on top of models being the 1% or so most beautiful people in the world already and making it their living to have perfect bodies. And make no mistakes, a lot of models live pretty unhealthy lifestyles where they will starve themselves before a job in order to look their best. Yes, even those who look fit and healthy. It's as if people think there are a ton of models out there who simply can't put on an extra pound or two and would lose their jobs if the 'unrealistic ideals' were banned. Take a look at the diets of most female models.

 

[mcz117chief]

Well a lot of advertising is heavily photoshopped so a lot of what you see actually is 'outside our reality'. Do you ever see cellulite in an ad? Stretch marks? Any kind of flaws what so ever on a model's skin?
That is on top of models being the 1% or so most beautiful people in the world already and making it their living to have perfect bodies. And make no mistakes, a lot of models live pretty unhealthy lifestyles where they will starve themselves before a job in order to look their best. Yes, even those who look fit and healthy. It's as if people think there are a ton of models out there who simply can't put on an extra pound or two and would lose their jobs if the 'unrealistic ideals' were banned. Take a look at the diets of most female models.

Right, photo shopped bodies are disgusting in their principle and they should have no place in adverts that are supposed to tell you "be like me" (or almost any other advert for that matter). I also agree with the rest of your post however, I think that all people CAN potentially look a bit like the models. Healthy diet, decent amount of exercise and sunlight can make almost anyone beautiful.

I dunno if I would call that fit shaming. I do agree its hard to say what a realistic body is though. To me a realistic body is one someone cam achieve without supplements. If you go to the gym or play a sport 4 times a week and eat well you can achieve a fit body. It's not a rocket science formula.

I think the issue is more that there are a lot of barriers that make doing those things more difficult than they need to be.

Fit shaming is going a bit too far I agree, which is why I said that "it is almost like", but people should strive to have healthy and fit bodies. There is very little excuse for being unfit unless the person has some very serious health issues.

 

[Johnny Cage In The Shower]

This sums it up perfectly.

exsacerbating the ideal of big breasted thin waist women as being perfect is a god damn problem. Why do you think trends like thigh gap and shit appear.

A good example of a fitness ad would show the woman rock climbing, or surfing, or running. Not being the same as a crappy beer summer ad.

A picture speaks a thousand words... done and done!

 

[Henkka]

I'm OK with this.

Fuck all those rich people in my advertising etc. why not celebrate the working class?

And LOL at acting like not being financially or emotionally successful is people's own fault.

Take it even further.

Ads that feature unrealistically happy couples give me anxiety because I'm single. Not to mention they uphold the monogamous, capitalist heternormative patriarchy.

 

[trembli0s]

What a horrible idea.

 

[kiunchbb]

Does that mean we can't have anime ads on bus?

 

[White Wolf]

I'm all for a ban on photoshop stuff, but legit fit people shouldn't be punished for being fit. Good idea, but the execution is lacking.

 

[theSlacker]

A picture speaks a thousand words... done and done!

Yeah, I too was also surprised that there are people out there that hadn't heard the term "beach body" and got offended by it, but its right there in that picture. I probably wouldn't have believed it/thought it was forum people trolling without the picture.

 

[Gotdatmoney]

Fit shaming is going a bit too far I agree, which is why I said that "it is almost like", but people should strive to have healthy and fit bodies. There is very little excuse for being unfit unless the person has some very serious health issues.

I dunno. Personally if someone wants to be unfit I domt really care. Fitness is not a reqquirement for existamce. People got lots of other shit to worry about, their fitness is none of my business. I think as a society we should makenit easier to live a healtheir lifestyle but I aint really shitting on anyone who.doen't want to. Its not a requirenent for life.

 

[mcz117chief]

I dunno. Personally if someone wants to be unfit I domt really care. Fitness is not a reqquirement for existamce. People got lots of other shit to worry about, their fitness is none of my business. I think as a society we should makenit easier to live a healtheir lifestyle but I aint really shitting on anyone who.doen't want to. Its not a requirenent for life.

Being unfit can carry a lot of health issues like back pain, aching joints, susceptibility to diabetes, etc. Being fit gives you a much better chance of avoiding health issues later in life.

 

[Omegasquash]

At a glance, this sounds like some folks feel bad about their bodies when they look at other bodies, and so, don't want other bodies to be on display.

I'm happy that Khan was elected, however this is silly.

 

[Gotdatmoney]

Being unfit can carry a lot of health issues like back pain, aching joints, susceptibility to diabetes, etc. Being fit gives you a much better chance of avoiding health issues later in life.

And that has nothimg to do with you or me is my point. Its not on us to insert ourselves into other peoples situations and criticize on something that literally does not have any tangible effect on you. My neighbour is overweight. Okay? And that is my problem why? Everyone knows the risks of obesity. It's not hidden. We can promote healthy living but after that it is individual choice that you just have to let people make.

 

[mcz117chief]

And that has nothing to do with you or me is my point. Its not on us to insert ourselves into other peoples situations and criticize on something that literally does not have any tangible effect on you. My neighbour is overweight. Okay? And that is my problem why? Everyone knows the risks of obesity. It's not hidden. We can promote healthy living but after that it is individual choice that you just have to let people make.

Yeah, you are right. But promoting healthy living means we care for the well being of others, right?

 

[Kinyou]

Not just ads though.

This article triggered me like a motherfucker.

This picture will never fail to get me.

"Single parent. Income: $260.000"