Sunday, July 17, 2011

Sexism and weightlifting

I sometimes get friend requests from strangers on Facebook.  Usually when I take a look at their profile they are mostly guys and girls who are into fitness.  So I just accept their friend request and classify them under "Fitness Junkie".

Ever so often I get a request from some guy who has a  profile pic of himself (I assume that is himself) shirtless.  And obviously when you pose shirtless you have to look good.  And on my side, whenever I see these kind of profile pics I automatically assume they've got hold of my profile from the myriad of fitness pages I 'liked' on Facebook.  So naturally I just accept the friend request and categorize them under "Fitness Junkie".

Perhaps I shouldn't assume, as I have actually received some stupid comments (well, I think it's stupid) from these buggers that are in my friends list like:

  1. You lift weights?
  2. Oh, you're into bodybuilding?
And other similar things.  I have this one fuckwit who commented on an article I shared on FB about the correct squat technique... and the whole conversation ran something like this:

Fuckwit:  You're into bodybuilding?
Me:  No I'm not into bodybuilding.  I'm more into powerlifting.
Fuckwit:  Oic... really?  But you look so small (I just LOVE the condescending tone)
Me:  So?  Small doesn't necessarily mean weak and big doesn't necessarily mean strong

He has yet to reply.  But what irks me is that someone who is into the sport of bodybuilding/powerlifting (I assume) would make such a stupid comment like "you look so small".  Anyone who has actually spend time to do a bit of research would know that size does not determine strength.  There are so many examples of 'small looking' powerlifters who can lift monumental weights.

Besides, I am a woman for crying out loud.  Add in the fact that I am an ectomorph and you can easily deduce that there's only so much growing that I can do.  It's guys like this particular Fuckwit I encountered that make women shy away from the sport.

Luckily for me, I have a lot of guy friends who are supportive of my passion in weightlifting.  It's too bad that there are those who have a chauvinistic and cynical attitude towards women who are into the sport.  I'm not sure whether it is because of the lack of knowledge or just their overall attitude towards the opposite sex, but all I can say is I am not the only one who is subject to stupid remarks by ignorant guys.

p/s  I am NOT declaring war against men.  A lot of people that have helped me along the way are great guys who are very happy to see women indulge in weightlifting.  But like many things in life... the minority who are opposed to the idea makes the most noise.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

yeah I agree totally with you. Just Look at Messi, He's small built but he runs like Hussin Bolt and dribbles like pele, maradona and zidane combine.

Mohd Shahril said...

hahaha..i know what you mean..its harder to see women voluntarily want to lift weight, and then there are these men who are intimidated by women who lift weight and trying to put the women down, so that they feel superior.

and dont believe that the picture in FB is the real them. most of them just a fake, thats y most of them doesnt show their faces. its like a lot of the sexy girls profile in FB is actually a man.

daniel yusof said...

yeah i agree..there is one guy in my gym he is so big, and weightlifting guy, seem strong *kononnya* n annoying..but later when i saw him on the treadmill beside me he can only jog for 5 minutes n catching breath so hard. their stamina are low n these seem-big-n-strong peoplethey may be huge n strong but they are not necessary fit n have a good stamina.