# Muscular Women Double Standard



## Anarax (Sep 25, 2017)

In the US there is a very prevalent double standard for muscular women. This goes beyond personal preference or what an individual finds attractive. As a society we seem to shun the look of a muscular woman and discourage it. This can be seen in television, movies, magazines, etc. Let's narrow our scope to just action movies, all male action heroes are usually very muscular. Examples include Chris Hemsworth, Pratt, Evans, Henry Cavil, Ben Affleck, Christian Bale, Jason Momoa, the Rock, etc. How many muscular women? Even the more action oriented female actresses. Scarlett Johanson, Gal Gadot, Jennifer Lawrence and Mila Jovovich, all are skinny and lean. Why is this? Many of the women featured in magazines are usually lean, yet many of the men are heavily muscular. Female athletes that have a lot functional muscle for their sport are looked down upon and shamed. Serena Williams is a prime example of body shaming, people calling her a man and other horrible names trying to degrade her femininity. Professional wrestling is the only exception I can think of, but many of the female wrestlers are starting to be more on the lean side as well. Thoughts?


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## MA_Student (Sep 26, 2017)

Sorry but that's a load of rubbish, men are naturally stronger than women muscle wise and can put on muscle a lot easier than women. Why are those actresses slim? Because that's they're choice and as for sport most women who have muscle are praised for it e.g ronda rousey, miesha Tate, holly holm they're not huge but they've got muscle. The reason people make comments about serena Williams or cyborg etc is because of the rumours of them using steroids.

Apart from that there is no shaming when it comes to muscle


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## drop bear (Sep 26, 2017)

Muscle building has only been a recent thing for mainstream women. I grew up in the the Jane Fonda days. (All forms of exercise are equal of course. It is the individual that matters) And was very tame by today's standards with things like cross fit. 

So yeah it is probably a thing but becoming less of a thing.


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## Tez3 (Sep 26, 2017)

Anarax said:


> As a society we seem to shun the look of a muscular woman and discourage it.



I would say not as a society but certain elements of it. The fashion industry want extremely skinny models, male and female, because they can make clothes hang they way they want on a totally thin body. Fashion models are seen as glamourous and can become very wealthy. However the physical model for women is moving towards an athletic type, certainly in the UK we have many female athletes that have become role models for young women and girls. We have fashion companies and media now shunning the ultra skinny models for more realistic sizes. The huge muscle building look for men and women has never been hugely popular here anyway, often being linked with a lack of intelligence ( yes, it's another clichés that isn't true) but the athletic look, strong with a six pack is popular. We have a lot of successful sports women here, we've just watched the Rugby women world cup where women were seen to be strong and muscled but not like body builders. the fashion here and in Europe is strong and athletic looking for men and women. Most people know Hollywood isn't real and the thin actresses not the norm for women.
The Top 50 Hottest Female Athletes of 2017


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## CB Jones (Sep 26, 2017)

I don't dislike fit or women with muscles unless they cross that line to where they begin looking masculine.

That is when I find it less attractive.


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## Anarax (Sep 26, 2017)

MA_Student said:


> Sorry but that's a load of rubbish, men are naturally stronger than women muscle wise and can put on muscle a lot easier than women. Why are those actresses slim? Because that's they're choice and as for sport most women who have muscle are praised for it e.g ronda rousey, miesha Tate, holly holm they're not huge but they've got muscle. The reason people make comments about serena Williams or cyborg etc is because of the rumours of them using steroids.
> 
> Apart from that there is no shaming when it comes to muscle



Actresses will maintain the figure that will get them roles, and actresses know what Hollywood deems attractive. Serena has been body shamed for the way she looks. However; if there's a *rumor* about steroid use it's okay to refer to her as a man or trans? That doesn't make sense. A lot of people only refer to her appearance without mentioning steroids, as if her body is the issue. Steroids technically have nothing to do with your size. Can they be used to add muscle mass? Yes, depending on how you use them. Their function is to speed up recovery time between workouts.


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## Anarax (Sep 26, 2017)

Tez3 said:


> I would say not as a society but certain elements of it. The fashion industry want extremely skinny models, male and female, because they can make clothes hang they way they want on a totally thin body. Fashion models are seen as glamourous and can become very wealthy. However the physical model for women is moving towards an athletic type, certainly in the UK we have many female athletes that have become role models for young women and girls. We have fashion companies and media now shunning the ultra skinny models for more realistic sizes. The huge muscle building look for men and women has never been hugely popular here anyway, often being linked with a lack of intelligence ( yes, it's another clichés that isn't true) but the athletic look, strong with a six pack is popular. We have a lot of successful sports women here, we've just watched the Rugby women world cup where women were seen to be strong and muscled but not like body builders. the fashion here and in Europe is strong and athletic looking for men and women. Most people know Hollywood isn't real and the thin actresses not the norm for women.
> The Top 50 Hottest Female Athletes of 2017



I was referring more to the strong athletic type, not the bodybuilder type. Yes, female rugby players are a perfect example of the type I'm referring to. I'm glad to hear that's happening in the UK and people are starting to come around.


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## Tez3 (Sep 26, 2017)

Anarax said:


> I was referring more to the strong athletic type, not the bodybuilder type. Yes, female rugby players are a perfect example of the type I'm referring to. I'm glad to hear that's happening in the UK and people are starting to come around.



The bodybuilder types male and female have never been that popular here, as I said the general thought is large muscles small brain. The ultra skinny 'American size zero' has never been a thing here. American, UK and European sizings are different anyway, America size zero is a size 2 here.

Steroids can certainly change a woman's shape.   8 Women Before and After Steroids - Oddee  I have the hope that these images are photo shopped but sadly I don't think they are.




Jody Marsh is a good example of this plus how she has promoted herself ( not well). Jodie Marsh before and after = just another reason to stare at her muscles


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## Anarax (Sep 26, 2017)

CB Jones said:


> I don't dislike fit or women with muscles unless they cross that line to where they begin looking masculine.
> 
> That is when I find it less attractive.



I understand if people don't find the same things attractive. I'm referring to the shaming aspect of it. I wasn't talking about the super ripped women like bodybuilders, though I wouldn't discourage somone from doing so. Helen maroulis is a perfect body example of what I'm talking about. Tez mentioned female rugby players, they're also a good example.


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## Tez3 (Sep 26, 2017)

Rugby players come in all shapes and sizes though. We have a great many women who are strong and fit, athletes including those who do field events. Footballers, hockey players, swimmers, divers and rowers among others Team GB gold medallists at the Rio Olympics so came under a lot of scrutiny. Boxers , the first female gold medallist in the Olympics, Nicola Adams is very popular here and is sought after by advertising agencies. We've had a succession of female sportswomen who are athletically built and people love that.
Iconic British Sportswomen


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## JR 137 (Sep 26, 2017)

CB Jones said:


> I don't dislike fit or women with muscles unless they cross that line to where they begin looking masculine.
> 
> That is when I find it less attractive.


That line is different for everyone.

Not agreeing nor disagreeing with you.


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## JowGaWolf (Sep 26, 2017)

Anarax said:


> In the US there is a very prevalent double standard for muscular women. This goes beyond personal preference or what an individual finds attractive. As a society we seem to shun the look of a muscular woman and discourage it. This can be seen in television, movies, magazines, etc. Let's narrow our scope to just action movies, all male action heroes are usually very muscular. Examples include Chris Hemsworth, Pratt, Evans, Henry Cavil, Ben Affleck, Christian Bale, Jason Momoa, the Rock, etc. How many muscular women? Even the more action oriented female actresses. Scarlett Johanson, Gal Gadot, Jennifer Lawrence and Mila Jovovich, all are skinny and lean. Why is this? Many of the women featured in magazines are usually lean, yet many of the men are heavily muscular. Female athletes that have a lot functional muscle for their sport are looked down upon and shamed. Serena Williams is a prime example of body shaming, people calling her a man and other horrible names trying to degrade her femininity. Professional wrestling is the only exception I can think of, but many of the female wrestlers are starting to be more on the lean side as well. Thoughts?


It's changing.  It's more of a cultural thing.  For example, In general white men used to put a high attraction value on skinny and delicate women. Now it's changing as more white men are seeing larger women as attractive.  Black men never cared much for skinny black women which is considered as being unattractive.  The skinny woman thing is fairly new.  You can look at old paintings of white women and you'll see that they had some meat on them.  Look at ancient statues.  Women are generally attracted to a healthy looking male. The more muscles he has, the healthier he looks and the more attractive he is considered.  There is a muscle limit where too much muscle is not attractive to women.  We often see this play out in highschool.  The older people get the less those outside looks matter.  The movies today, in the US, focuses on women being strong inside and out.  Disney is a good measure of male and female appearance trends.  Many of their latest female cartoon characters aren't skinny.


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## CB Jones (Sep 26, 2017)

JR 137 said:


> That line is different for everyone.
> 
> Not agreeing nor disagreeing with you.



Absolutely.  What is attractive is subjective.

And everyone is entitled to their opinion and preferences.


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## Buka (Sep 27, 2017)

I agree. I don't think we get to pick what attracts us to another person, it just happens.

Personally, I find two things that seem to attract me to a woman. One is fitness.
The other is she isn't mad at me.


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## CB Jones (Sep 27, 2017)

I dunno angering my wife is a hobby of mine.


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## Tony Dismukes (Sep 27, 2017)

I found it amusing that when I view this thread there's an advertisement on the side showing a muscular woman in the gym performing deadlifts. The idea that skinny=attractive may be prevalent, but it's clearly not universal.


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## Xue Sheng (Sep 27, 2017)

Buka said:


> I agree. I don't think we get to pick what attracts us to another person, it just happens.
> 
> Personally, I find two things that seem to attract me to a woman. One is fitness.
> The other is she isn't mad at me.



hmmm well.... my wife has the fitness part down anyway... but there are times I am pretty sure being mad at me is one of her hobbies..


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## JowGaWolf (Sep 27, 2017)

Tony Dismukes said:


> I found it amusing that when I view this thread there's an advertisement on the side showing a muscular woman in the gym performing deadlifts. The idea that skinny=attractive may be prevalent, but it's clearly not universal.


Correct it changes with the cultures and the times.  Chinese feet binding, women with disc in their ears and lips, neck rings to stretch out the neck, big booty women, petite women, women with long hair, fat women, and everything else will have an attraction value that differs from country to country and culture to culture.  Dyed black teeth was once a big attraction in Japan.  There was a point in time were chubby men were attractive because it meant that they had no problem getting food which usually meant that the man was rich.  In Africa it was reversed where chubby women meant a healthy woman.  Skinny usually meant that someone is poor. There's definitely not a one size fits all.


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## JowGaWolf (Sep 27, 2017)

Buka said:


> I agree. I don't think we get to pick what attracts us to another person, it just happens.
> 
> Personally, I find two things that seem to attract me to a woman. One is fitness.
> The other is she isn't mad at me.


Lol.  that sounds like marriage.


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## Gerry Seymour (Sep 27, 2017)

Tony Dismukes said:


> I found it amusing that when I view this thread there's an advertisement on the side showing a muscular woman in the gym performing deadlifts. The idea that skinny=attractive may be prevalent, but it's clearly not universal.


I don't know what that says about you, Tony. I get an ad for a 55" TV from Best Buy. Notably, it's quite skinny.


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## Buka (Sep 27, 2017)

CB Jones said:


> I dunno angering my wife is a hobby of mine.



Wasn't that an old Charles Bronson movie? Death Wish.

Edit - and screw _scorned_. Hell hath no fury like a women pissed off about anything.
They are scary people.


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## ballen0351 (Sep 30, 2017)

All I know is I started working out in a cross fit gym a little while back and there are several very strong very fit and muscular woman there and they are HOTTTTT!!


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