To think that "strong is the new skinny" is becoming a bit extreme?

[Namila]

I am not sure how to explain what I mean, but I'll try. Getting ready to be flamed as it often happens when discussing women's bodies.

In the last few years I noticed a new trend online among women, the "fit/strong is the new skinny" type of narrative. In theory I think that is an improvement and a positive change from the unhealthy trend of extreme skinniness we were stuck with for decades.

However, I can't help but thinking that the new "fit and muscular" trend is getting a bit over the top. It seems like now we should aspire to have huge, bodybuilder-style muscles now? We should strive to get a huge butt through never ending series of squats and weightlifting? Steel abs with not an inch of fat? Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest are full of this type of pics. I attached a couple to this thread just for reference!

It just seems a bit extreme to me. Of course a slim, healthy, active body is attractive, but I wonder why these trends always seem to get so extreme (e.g. super skinny, or super muscular, or super curvy Kardashian-style).

So AIBU to think that this trend is a bit much? Does anyone else share this view?

Breast implants
buttock implants
badly done nose job
Great abs!

Meh. Just the latest set of random criteria used to judge women - nothing new under the sun. Why do we keep subscribing to this shit? Do what you do, and if the next woman is different, for WHATEVER reason, leave her the fuck alone to get on with her own stuff.

Well, all this thread has proved to me is that, as a woman, you can't win. I spent years being mentally abused for apparently being fat. Now I look after my body, go to the gym and follow a training plan and eat well I am still being judged as being obsessive/setting a bad example/possibly using drugs and plastic surgery. Just as well I am happy and healthy in myself now

Being female is feminine

Females come in all shapes and sizes, natural propensity to leanness, fat building, muscle building and those who no matter what they do won’t create muscle mass at all.

Thank god being strong IS now acceptable for women. Thank god having great big thighs like rocks are no longer eewed and urghed

I swim at least 3x a week, about 6k at a fairly ok pace as far as Masters swim goes, I’m working hard at it and as a result I’m building great arms and legs.

In my youth I felt I couldn’t exercise too much or I’d not be feminine. Indeed my parents told me similar.

Fuck em! Bollocks to anyone who says how a woman (or a man for that matter) needs to look to be ‘feminine’ or ‘masculine’

This would not be a thread any men would have about themselves

This kind of thread is one of the gazillions of conversations which demonstrate why we women are literally our own worst enemies

To the OP asking about why these looks always need to be so 'extreme', that's the point of them really! They aren't aspirational if 95%can achieve it. It needs to be something 95% can't achieve.

I actually think this is one of the worst trends we've seen as it focuses on spending lots of time & money at the gym and on so-called clean eating bollocks. I also find it the most dishonest of the trends we have seen as this one masquerades as being a health thing, whereas at least previous trends never pretended to be anything except taking your money to look better.