The truth about body-shaming in the queer communityBody shaming is an issue that has plagued the queer community for a long time, but we don't talk often enough about it.
by Luh Tsele
03-02-2023 16:29
in Health and Fitness
A hand written stop.Image: Teunie van Hernen/Flickr
It has become a tradition for people to try and reinvent themselves in the new year, and there is no problem with doing that, as long as you are doing it for yourself and not body-shaming others while doing it.
--
Body shaming Body shaming is an issue that we don't talk about enough in the queer community, which is odd because it has become one of the strongest pillars that define us, especially men who seek men.
I call it a strong pillar because at every turn we are bombarded with no fats and no fems don't even take my word for it, open the gates of the dating app Grindr and read the gospel.
On this queer dating app, we are conditioned to believe that to be worthy of love, companionship, or a simple hookup, you have to look a certain way.
--
Having to live in a world that puts us under so much scrutiny, you would think we would be kinder to one another but that isn't the case. Full-figured queer individuals are made to feel less than others because of their body shape.
ALSO READ: Sam Smith's new body-positive video celebrates queer sexuality
Masculine ripped looking men are glorified and put on the pedestal as the tokens of what an attractive man should look like.
--
I've had someone actually say, If you lost a little bit more weight, I think we could go on a date, Said Sam Coffie on the American morning tv show Good Morning America.
I didn't like being big, and in this gay industry you don't win when you are full figured said a friend of mine in a conversation about weight loss.
My friend and I were not even talking about body standards in the queer community, we were talking about weight loss in general, but at that moment he felt the need to emphasise that gay men do not appreciate full-figured men.
Body positivity Recently we have seen the body positivity movement rise to combat body shaming, simply put, body positivity focuses on promoting acceptance of all body types.
ALSO READ: Big Brother Titans' is here but queer representation is not
This movement has taught us that skinny is not a measure of beauty or health. Body positivity has taught us the simple act of being kinder to ourselves, and our bodies. It is important to note that body positivity is not advocating for obesity but rather holistic health that includes mind and body.
I implore the LGBTIQ community to cultivate being body positive not only to others but to ourselves as well. Learn to love and appreciate yourself, and do not let what you see on social media be a reason to hate your body.
Most of us are dealing with the same issues, so reach out to a trusted friend or family member and talk about your insecurities. Most importantly stop talking negatively about yourself and your body.
It's time to take a stance I'm not going to be able to please everyone with my outward appearance. Someone's always going to have a critique, and someone's always going to have some negativity to say about me.
So all that matters is what I think of it. I had to go deep inside myself and look in the mirror. Looking in the mirror and accepting what's in the mirror is very, very difficult. And right now, I love it every time I look in the mirror said American singer, rapper, and flutist Lizzo.
The LGBTIQ community already has to endure a lot from a highly heteronormative society, let's not add to our struggle. The consequences of body shaming include anxiety, depression, and other health-related issues such as body dysmorphia.
I believe that the queer community knows better than anyone how difficult it is to maintain a healthy state of mind, so it shouldn't be hard to be kind and help others take a step in the right direction with their mental health.
ALSO READ: The search for Miss Drag South Africa 2023 has begun
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES FROM LUH TSELE
SOAPIE QUIZ: How well do you know Scandal!'? WIN R1 000 in cash! ENTER HERE
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
19/05/2026
Actus Digital, a LiveU company, and a leading provider of intelligent media monitoring and broadcast compliance platforms, announced today that METEO CONSULT ha...
19/05/2026
Globecast, a leading provider of managed services for the broadcast and media industry, today announced the completion of a major renovation of its Singapore fa...
19/05/2026
Following a major upgrade to its Connecticut remote production centre with the installation of three 60-fader Argo S consoles in 2023, RPS has switched one of t...
19/05/2026
PlayBox Technology today announced the launch of Celebro Play, a browser-based media orchestration platform designed specifically for broadcast facilities and p...
19/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/05/2026
LYNX Technik, provider of modular signal processing solutions for broadcast, post, and professional AV will showcase its latest signal processing solutions at B...
19/05/2026
Media Links, a leading developer and manufacturer of IP media transport solutions, has announced the integration of its Xscend platform with Skyline Communicat...
19/05/2026
Collaboration expands regional partner ecosystem as Media Links showcases IP media transport solutions on stand 4M4-4 and alongside Clearcast Asia on stand
Me...
19/05/2026
Company Highlights Labor-Saving Control and Custom Branding Opportunities Designed to Increase Integrator Profitability
LynTec, a leading manufacturer of ele...
19/05/2026
Mago Studio Moves AI Video Beyond Prompts with New Production-Focused Tools
Brie Clayton May 18, 2026
0 Comments
New Capabilities Bring Controllable, ...
19/05/2026
It May be Time to Stop and Take an AI Breather
Brie Clayton May 19, 2026
0 Comments
If the rock you stay on starts to roll, jump clean. Or you'll...
18/05/2026
Despite a bumpy start to the year, the provider of event-production support and ...
18/05/2026
Daktronics has partnered with the University of North Carolina to manufacture and install 11 LED displays totaling more than 10,000 square feet and more than 14...
18/05/2026
CBS LA has announced a multi-year partnership with the Los Angeles Rams, covering exclusive local broadcasts of Rams preseason games, weekly year-round programm...
18/05/2026
Skyline Communications has announced an integration between its DataMiner xOps p...
18/05/2026
eCLUTCH, the hybrid esports platform powered by iKOMG, has announced an expansion of its distribution across Europe, MENA, Africa, and Asia, along with new cont...
18/05/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/05/2026
With 22 games this season, the production team looks forward to tweaking and enhancing the coverage
After 8,660 days off the air, the WNBA returned to NBC yest...
18/05/2026
(L-R) Midori Francis and Natalie Erika James attend the Saccharine premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 22, 2026, in ...
18/05/2026
Last night, the Spotify Podcast Awards in Mexico returned to the country's capital. Now in its second year, the evening honors creators whose voices are hel...
18/05/2026
ZEN-Core synth goes mobile
Roland's powerful ZEN-Core software synthesizer has just been introduced to the iPad, offering a convenient entry point into ...
18/05/2026
Versatile new limiter plug-in announced
Based in Sheffield, UK, fedDSP offer a range of plug-ins that span the music production, live sound and high-end med...
18/05/2026
A new use for convolution?
Viiri Audio's debut plug-in aims to do something a little different with convolution processing, allowing users to adjust all...
18/05/2026
Delta Goodrem shines for SBS as more than 3.27 million Australians tune in for E...
18/05/2026
The Australian Defence Force uses L3Harris T4 and T7 robots for explosive ordnan...
18/05/2026
Continued investment across Europe and Germany is expanding local teams and improving access to stock, regional expertise, and specialist broadcast support.
CV...
18/05/2026
Agentic AI inference at one-tenth the cost per token with NVIDIA Vera Rubin NVL7...
18/05/2026
18 May 2026
Dubai and New York, May 18, 2026 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON), a glob...
18/05/2026
Monday 18 May 2026
Sky News offers ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes for just...
18/05/2026
Comscore March 2026 Consumer AI Chatbot Usage Rankings Show Claude Gaining Share OpenAI's ChatGPT maintains lead while Anthropic's Claude continues to c...
17/05/2026
Delta Goodrem's Eurovision Eclipse marks end of a stellar run
17 May, 2026
Media releases
Bulgaria wins Eurovision 2026
Relive every spellbinding mome...
17/05/2026
Back to All News
Oasis Premieres on Netflix June 19
Entertainment
17 May 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Summer, sunshine, the beach, parties. T...
16/05/2026
Helps to deliver a clean, balanced midrange
Developed alongside Newfangled Audio, the latest plug-in in Eventide's software collection has been designed...
16/05/2026
Brings onboard stem rendering to RANE System One
Engine DJ have just released Engine DJ 5.0, a free update for their Engine DJ OS embedded hardware and Engi...
16/05/2026
Boris FX Continuum Pairs AI Precision and Advanced Creative Controls
Jessie Electa Petrov May 16, 2026
0 Comments
The 2026.5 release adds automatic de...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Seattle Sounders FC and Seattle Reign FC, in partnership with RAVE Foundation an...
15/05/2026
Dan Brumm has served as sound designer on Bluey, the Australian children's t...
15/05/2026
The Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance (PAMA) and Shure Incorporated are accepting applications for the 6th annual Mark Brunner Professional Audio Schola...
The truth about body-shaming in the queer communityBody shaming is an issue that has plagued the queer community for a long time, but we don't talk often enough about it.
