Why Don’t We Freak Out About Fat Shaming Guys?
Jonah Hill on set of his latest movie. Photo: WENN
Jonah Hill shot to the top of Hollywood by playing into the archetype he created for himself: the funny, self-deprecating fat guy. He was a scene stealer in Knocked Up as an overweight stoner; took a leading man turn in Superbad as the corpulent unpopular kid desperate to party; starred as an assistant in Get Him to the Greek; and played a a wide array of roles in between. But after Moneyball, in which he starred alongside Brad Pitt and scooped up plenty of nominations, his figure started to change—and people took notice. Fat jokes became skinny jokes and Hill’s slim down became a hot topic. Like his female cohorts, and unlike his male ones (other than the ridiculously good looking, ripped Zac Efrons and Channing Tatums of the world), questions turned to his diet and exercise regimen and attention paid to his slimmed down appearance.
But now, after years of keeping the weight off, Hill has reverted to his former physique. “Jonah Hill is looking super bad in his latest role,” the New York Daily News wrote in an article with the headline “Jonah Hill spotted on set of latest movie looking noticeably heavier.” The story notes that the 31-year-old has gained a reported 70 pounds, clocking in at 270, and was “looking noticeably husky” filming Arms and the Dudes in California. Page Six said that “Jonah Hill is now the whale of Wall Street,” while OK! magazine wrote, “Jonah Hill flaunts much bigger frame for new film role as his weight battle continues.”
Critiquing prominent figures’ looks is commonplace in the media—just look at any tabloid for “Cellulite Revealed!” “Saggy Skin Exposed!” tag lines—but the difference is that men are usually spared the humiliation. But when they do become the subject of widespread criticism, it’s particularly harsh. Last year, paparazzi pictures of Leonardo DiCaprio’s untrimmed belly and man-bun, on vacation in Bora Bora with a hot 20-something, surfaced. The New York Post asked: “The Great Fatsby?” Always classy TMZ called him “Leolardo DiFlabrio” and asked, “What isn’t Gilbert Grape eating?” Rob Kardashian is a frequent target of these clever but judgmental puns and even heartthrobs including Ryan Gosling, Hugh Grant and Gerard Butler have fallen victim to a poison pen.
But the funny thing is, when these men get fat-shamed, is it really fat-shaming if no one cares? (Other than me, of course). It’s like the age-old philosophical question: If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? When a woman is met with similarly slamming commentary, the Internet erupts in disgust, coming to that individuals’ defense. Just look at what happened when Kelly Clarkson’s body became the center of attention—a few people spoke their minds, but thousands put them in their place. Kendall Jenner, Selena Gomez, Pink, Rebel Wilson, and more have all become trending topics following their time in the body shaming spotlight. “Body shaming, like the comments about Jonah Hill, is harmful and cruel regardless of its form (skinny shaming, fat shaming) or target (women or men),” body image expert Heather Quinlan, C.S.W., tells Yahoo Style. “Women and men are both impacted by social, cultural and internal pressures to look a certain way, and for both genders those pressures may contribute to difficulties with self-esteem, body image, depression, anxiety, etc.” But, she explains, there may be greater public outrage because of women are targeted at a greater rate and discussed more prominently.
How someone, the public included, reacts to the negativity also plays a part. Quinlan says that men are stereotypically raised to be “tough” and “laugh it off,” while it’s more socially acceptable for women to acknowledge the potential pain from an insensitive comment. “It may be more difficult for a man to admit that his feelings were hurt because someone criticized his appearance, since it’s often difficult for men to openly discuss emotional vulnerability and self-esteem,” she says.
Until the same firestorm flares up when men are unfavorably assessed on a large scale, male fat-shaming—and the will continue unregulated and swept aside as if it’s not as damaging as its female counterpart.
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