Body Shaming is rampant on dating apps now – give me a break

Don’t you just hate it when people think it’s totally okay to share unsolicited comments about other people’s bodies?

Be it weight, height, features. Who asked for your opinion? Why do I care?

Unfortunately, body shaming is everywhere, even on dating apps. According to the national survey commissioned by him OriGymone in three women has been shamed and has received unsolicited comments about her body on dating apps.

There are countless stories on TikTok of plus-sized women facing extreme hostility and unsolicited comments about losing weight and going to the gym on dating apps. The “fatshaming” hashtag currently has almost 400 million views on the app.

Kerry McAvoy took to the social media platform to express her frustration, saying: “I’ve seen the same extreme hostility on dating apps and social media from people who are looking for a suitable person versus those who are deemed unsuitable.”

“It’s like everyone else is seen as expendable and you’re judged on your sexiness and hotness. People cannot be consumed. Her perception of beauty is her own and varies from person to person,” he added.

He goes on to say that if these “unfit” people don’t meet this certain standard of beauty, they are made to believe that they don’t deserve to occupy a place.

According to the Weight Stigma Study, more than 1 in 6 plus-size users have been on the receiving end of the weight difference. While only 4% of “underweight” and “slim” people received the same treatment.

It’s even worse among plus-size women, with one in three women wearing a size 16 or over saying they’ve experienced weight confusion on a dating app. The statistics also revealed that women are more likely than men to be body-shamed by their family members.

Due to the rise of swipe-based dating apps, daters today prioritize looks when choosing a potential partner. The seemingly never-ending flow of faces and bodies had a negative effect, encouraging users to become more critical.

According to some statistics published by the dating app Buzz, Almost 9 in 10 people feel that dating is an area where they feel more physically comfortable than in other areas of life, and 1 in 4 say they have been shamed online on a dating app or social media.

More than half of those under 34 (58%) admitted that they even cancel a date because of their body insecurity.

Naomi Walkland, Bumble’s head of UK and Ireland, said that’s exactly why their body-shaming policy was introduced.

“Body anxiety can have a huge impact on how people date, which is why our body shaming policy is so important. We hope our zero-tolerance policy for racist, hate speech, abusive behavior and harassment will do our part to empower people on Bumble to be comfortable and confidently authentic,” says Walkland.

Weight shaming can have a lasting effect on someone’s mental and physical well-being. And you’re not doing them any favors by commenting on their looks or appearance.

No one appreciates unsolicited comments – whether it’s about your work, your life or any of your daily tasks. Nobody likes being told what to do and how to do it. So why make comments about someone’s body?

“I think it reflects something very broken in our society,” says McAvoy. “It’s not about people’s weight or fitness, it’s really about the mentality of having human value.”

Bottom line: keep unsolicited comments about someone’s body to yourself.