I Am Fat

That’s right you read it right

“I happen to use this word as a self-descriptor and I don’t say it to put myself down and I certainly don’t say it in hopes that someone will say oh no you’re not fat because that’s the thing nobody says to a tall person oh you’re not tall and nobody says that because tall is not a dirty word…society has turned the word fat into a synonym for ugly.” – Lillian Bustle 30th March 2015

Based upon the BMI Chart my weight being 107kg and my height being 173cm puts my BMI at 35.8 categorising me as obese.

My ideal weight according to this chart is between 55.4kg and 74.5kg which would result in my looking super anorexic and people saying I look unhealthy and need to put on weight.

WHY do we put so much pressure on ourselves within the rainbow community to look a certain way and conform to this idea that thin is sexy and being curvy is not? This is one issue that I feel needs immediate attention brought to it.

I raise this issue as there has been an increasing number of body shaming going on with the Rainbow Community in particular on the popular hookup app GRINDR with the term “no chubs” being an all too familiar caption.

DID YOU KNOW!!!!

Gay men are 3 times more likely to suffer from an eating disorder than men who identify as heterosexual. And 15% of gay men will have battled with anorexia or bulimia at some point in their life.

Research has also confirmed that there is a strong correlation between the gay community and a so-called “pursuit of muscularity”.

The idea of having a v-back, six-pack abs and the chiseled body.

So why do we try and conform to this idea of having an attractive body? what makes an attractive body? Social media and mass media have brainwashed us to believe in this idea that gay men need to have a certain body type in order to be attractive, this has led to a lot of gay men feeling unattractive and feeling as if they need to go to the gym and indulge in diets, pills, and potions in order to fit into this ideal body type to feel attractive and wanted within the rainbow community.

Everyone comes in different shapes and forms and I believe that all body types are dealing with some form of body image issue.

Curvy men want to be thin, to feel attractive, thin men want to bulk up to be more masculine and guys with this “perfect” body type just tend to be arrogant and cocky.

How do we combat this issue of body shaming? And what can we do to make ourselves feel more comfortable in our own skin?

I call upon social media organisations who promote to the rainbow community to include not only thin men but also those who have curves.

I’ve noticed with the Love Your Condom ads a lack of bigger sized men featured on their billboards and ads.

It would be an amazing step forward to see someone with a bigger build represented and being displayed for the whole community to see.

In saying this, I not only want to highlight body image faced by bigger sized men but also those that are struggling with anorexia and bulimia, you are amazing and need to love your body.

Every day when you wake up and look in the mirror compliment yourself and your figure love yourself and everything that makes you. Own your body and be confident.

I know it’s easier said than done but trust me when you feel confident in your body nothing can stand in your way of true pure happiness.

Vote for Jake Angus here

For more on Jake and the other finalists of Mr. Gay New Zealand visit the website www.mrgaynewzealand.com

Last Updated on Jan 29, 2017