I have a personal hypothesis that self-proclaimed alpha [males] may feel the same gender dysphoria that trans folk do, only it is the sensation that they present less masculine than they actually do, so in their effort to attaining a little bit of machismo they go way overboard.
It's similar I think to the way Donald Trump can be President of the United States, and still feel fragile and unworthy.
I'm pretty sure it's dysmorphia rather than dysphoria. Dysphoria is rooted in an accurate picture of yourself and dysmorphia in an inaccurate one. If a guy starts going to the gym because the idea of not being able to bridal carry his girlfriend makes him feel unmanly, I'd agree that's some flavor of gender dysphoria. On the other hand, someone like the liver king thinking he still doesn't have enough muscle is definitely body dysmorphia.
But I'd agree that (similar to dysphoria) the so-called alphas often have dysmorphia of more than just the body - they worry they come across unmanly in all ways of their presentation, regardless of how much "masculine energy" they're already putting out.
Yeah this is a favorite pet theory of mine as well, partly because I like imagining guys like Andrew Tate protesting being labeled “trans alpha” or whatever, but also because it’s just a fact that many cis people experience a form of gender dysphoria and commonly seek hormone therapy for it at early ages.
I’ve found that comparison usually clicks with uninitiated cis people immediately, even when they’ve only heard othering and alarmist narratives up to that point.
If more people had this attitude towards harmless things that don't suit their tastes we'd live in a far less hostile world. Thanks for being a decent person!
I find abs in women damn attractive. Actually surprised me as I didn't used to. I think something in me changed on my own journey which has made me respect and admire the qualities that lead to their abs more than it being a superficial "that looks good".
I guess, because its very hard for biological women to get abs like that. The muscles are just different. Not impossible, but way, way harder then for men and therefore quite rare.
And we all know, its very scary for bigots to even look at trans people. They might have to wash their eyes with soap now.
just wanna add that it is easier to get them with testosterone. i think it makes sense to make that distinction here since there are literal cis women body builder who take it as performance enhancing drugs.
I think it's less that the muscles are different, and more about body fat percentage and maybe distribution. You could have the strongest core in the world, but if there's a layer of fat on top of your abs, they won't have this visible definition.
Also... Really rare to have boobs that big AND such low body fat, but all sorts of women get implants.
In future I'd advise using the term cis woman instead of biological woman because biological woman has a history of being used as a transphobic term by TERFs to delegitimise trans people, especially in the UK.
For women it's easier to grow their lower bodies more so than men.
Using DEXA data, we have been able to show that human females carry relatively more mass in their lower limbs than males, and that this includes lean muscle mass, and is not only reflective of differential fat distribution. Dec 29, 2023
A woman built this way is not intimidating, a fit and healthy woman is desirable for many men around the globe.
Some guys feel emasculated when they can't make a beautiful woman like them. So the only way they can feel like they've taken some power back is to belittle and talk down beautiful women.
I think the podcasts are a more a symptom of people attempting to rationalize how real issues are the fault of anything but the systems they are personally invested in.
What is so crazy is that a lot of these folks look up to Sparta because of its dedication to physical conditioning. But of the people that traveled to Sparta we know that they wrote of watching the women of Sparta exercise because they were known to be strong, fast, and beautiful because of their exercise and physical conditioning was expected of them even as slave owning elites.
This person should be lauded for their dedication to conditioning and feared for their ability to Kegel a steel girder asunder. And they probably don't even own one slave outright so it is even that more amazing.
I miss being fit. Muscle mommies are underrated. All the endorphins. First thing I'm going to do off a grad student salary is get a personal trainer. Fitness makes me feel normal and happy. I lost my six pack here, foo.
I tripped on stairs and my foot got stuck on carpet staples during apt rennovations. They can't find what happened to the soft tissue yet, it is still purple on the side. I can walk and even hike a bit but I really feel it later. I didnt break anything, my foot was stronger than most from sports, so I basically got really bad turf toe plus something is damaged mechanically. It throws off my balance a bit too, otherwise I'd be doing yoga. They thought it would heal but it's not... It's been a few years of waiting and trying different things and tests; but I have a specialist seeing me in a few months if they don't reschedule again (the healthcare here is great, just not enough workers)...
That being said I hate, hate, hate the gym, it feels too voyeuristic and crowded. I'd rather be outside doing something fun. I know I'll go if I'm paying for a trainer. If all else fails I'll get a little Pelican kayak or find a heated pool in the next place I live and do my thing when I'm not worried about money haha.
I will say that feeling your muscles atrophy is fucking wild. Fortunately my partner is a trained masseuse that has worked on a lot of athletes!! :)
Well, to be fair, everything is politics. But yes, the ownership class is looking to displace responsibility for mass scarcity and precarity away from them and are choosing the usual suspects of marginalized social groups. LGBT+ and uppity women are high up on the list along with immigrants.
Unrealistic body standards are a known issue. Yes, fit women exist, but I'm betting there aren't plus-sized mannequins in yoga pants next to this one. But there absolutely should because, hey, exercise is good for everyone.
The "west has fallen" angle cracks me up. It's so full of dissonance, I can't even.
Edit: the weird lighting had me thinking that was a plastic mannequin and not a real person. That's just incredible.
Unrealistic expectations are absolutely a thing and we should promote normal physiques.
Also, being fat is absolutely a thing and we should promote not being fat.
Caveat: some people say "plus size" to mean healthy weight. Some people say "plus size" to mean fat/overweight. Being overweight is a significant health risk, and I say this as someone who is overweight and trying to fix it.