London's mayor has banned 'unrealistic body images' from transport advertising

[Gadarene]

If you like that sort of thing check our apps like "my fitness pal" you log in what you eat and what not and it'll tell you how many calories it is, it'll also provide exercise challenges too. I'm not certain (android user) but I think apple might have a native app that does something a lot like that. Focus on physical challenges and not so much on the losing weight/getting in shape aspect of it. Make it fun.

think of my fitness pal as a text based RPG with motion controls

 

[jimmyjimmy]

The kids who get perfect SAT scores set unrealistic standards for test scores. Let's off them next.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

I think that stuff is motivating tbh.

I would agree 100%...it was watching guys like Mike O'hearn that inspired me to lose and weight and start hitting the gym after watching his youtube workout videos & fitness info.

Unfortunately, society seems to be moving more toward the mindset of insulating people (who aren't taking care of themselves) from criticism.

All of this "you can't fat shame people" stuff is bogus in 99.9% of cases. I get that in very very few cases there could be a glandular issue or something that cause the person's weight to skyrocket out of their control...but like I said before, that's a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of the people that are overweight.

The vast majority of people that are overweight are in that situation for one (or many) of these reasons:
1) Doesn't have the will power to limit junk food intake
2) Doesn't have the self-control to not over-eat
3) Doesn't have the will power to exercise instead of sitting on the couch

Even with just reasonable portion control, and reasonable limits on caloric & carbohydrate intake, and a modest four 20 minute workouts per week, a person could stay reasonably fit healthy...you're not going to get "jacked" or "shredded" with that, but they'll be reasonably fit.

People who are fit, shouldn't have to walk on eggshells...and people who are making poor choices shouldn't be immune from criticism from people who are fit.

We wouldn't do that with any other form of poor life choices...

For example, if I saw someone running with scissors, and said "are you some sort of idiot?!?! stop doing that!!", the PC crowd wouldn't rally around that person and insulate them and say "that's scissor shaming, and you can't do that! it's not nice!"


Our society is slowly turning into a Harrison Bergeron scenario (for any Kurt Vonnegut fans in the audience lol)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison_Bergeron

 

[Larniavc]

And yet it's not to most modern women. They seem to want taller men.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/10941259/Are-women-more-attracted-to-tall-men.html

I never said that they did not. But they don't go around insulting shorter men. MehGuy seems to think that they do.

I prefer dark haired, olive skinned women. Dosen't mean I have any ill will to blondes.

 

[Gadarene]

I never said that they did not. But they don't go around insulting shorter men. MehGuy seems to think that they do.

They do.

 

[fat wee robin]

Notice how the one man said Jesus wasn't a Christian? He was a muslim! That's in the Koran. Surah 9:30

Reinforcement police didn't arrive for 30 minutes.
That's not all that surprising what's in that video. It's all in the Koran. God protect the world from the political ideology of Islam.
Koran Surah 5:51
Fat WEE ROBIN

GOd please protect the world, from the shallowness and corruptive influences of extremes of American capitalism ,which reduces everything that is good, to the lowest animal impulse, destroying our higher cultures ,and our young, especially girls .
Common decency is now seen as Sharia law ,by the corrupted minds .

 

[Blondepudding]

http://www.businessinsider.com/lond...body-images-from-tfl-adverts-2016-6?r=UK&IR=T

Seems infantalizing.

It would if it wasn't a question of what branch of Islam is the Mayor a member of? Sunni? Or Shia?
Otherwise, the parameters that define the term, unrealistic body image, are unknown and at this point . That leaves an enormous area for interpretation.

Is photo-shop banned? Are skinny models banned? Is it a matter of modesty and how that is defined in the commercial market?

 

[Blondepudding]

The mayor is a muslim, case closed!

I sort of agree with the notion, by the way. Unrealistic, photoshopped images for both genders set unrealisitic expecations and cause lots of suffering. If the city of london (who runs the public transport, by the way) decides that it doesn't want to show such advertisement, that is their decision, is it not?

Or are you people clamouring for a buisness owner to lose the right to decide what happens in his buisness? Is that what you desire?

By the way, where was the great outcry on christian forum when the UK blocked inappropriate content?

I guess it's only horrific when a muslim bans the oggling of women?

Yeah, I'd say it should throw up red flags to those interested in free speech.
Because bans on oggling women in Muslim countries entail really weird clothing as a mandate for women so as to preclude males oggling. And if the woman fails to succeed in hiding herself away just so she can be killed.

Yes, I'd say this act by a new Mayor in London England and a Mayor who is Muslim as well should concern people as to what he's really intending.
Unrealistic body images? By what standard? Are fat people wrong? Are skinny people giving a bad image? Muscular people? Little people? AKA midgets? Are handicapped people presenting a wrong body image?
Are women advertising the latest lingerie forbidden? Are men advertising the latest sexy swimsuit forbidden?
Is it a standard that insures no one on the street is offended by a depiction of the human form no matter what it appears like?

What?

 

[rambot]

I would agree 100%...it was watching guys like Mike O'hearn that inspired me to lose and weight and start hitting the gym after watching his youtube workout videos & fitness info.

Unfortunately, society seems to be moving more toward the mindset of insulating people (who aren't taking care of themselves) from criticism.

All of this "you can't fat shame people" stuff is bogus in 99.9% of cases. I get that in very very few cases there could be a glandular issue or something that cause the person's weight to skyrocket out of their control...but like I said before, that's a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of the people that are overweight.

The vast majority of people that are overweight are in that situation for one (or many) of these reasons:
1) Doesn't have the will power to limit junk food intake
2) Doesn't have the self-control to not over-eat
3) Doesn't have the will power to exercise instead of sitting on the couch

I guess the question I ask is, what is the USE in fat shaming people? Do you believe you are providing an opportunity to learn new information, be a jerk, AND clever all in one go? CAuse then I'd have to wonder if you are REALLY trying to get them to change, or just channelling your superiority and, perhaps with the best intentions, wanting them to change.

I have become a very over weight guy. I was doing okay for myself until I had a thyroid malfunction of epic proportions. That was the start of my down/upward journey. I can't blame my problems on my thyroid now; it is only a small contributor to my problem.
I know exactly how unhealthy it is to be overweight. I understand ENCOURAGING fat people to lose weight and there is, generally speaking, a lot of positive stuff on the internet. I don't understand shaming people. I mean, do you want them to be better and healthier? Do you want them to take better care of themselves? Probably. But insulting someone is not how you're going to do that.
All that said, I strongly dislike the overweight people who wear their baggage weight with pride and delude themselves into thinking positive things about being overweight.

Generally speaking as a society, we are (usually) encouraged to not act like an aye hole to one another. I consider most "x"-shaming to be judgemental aye hole language not based in love.

I get why it happens. To me though, it's akin to the streetside preacher trying to convince people to come to God lest they fry in a vat of firey oil for all eternity. It just ain't gonna work.

 

[rambot]

And as for the mayor's move, I say kudos to that! Great idea!

 

[jimmyjimmy]

The founders of the US understood the reason to protect free speech. Without it, there is tyranny.

 

[Blondepudding]

The founders of the US understood the reason to protect free speech. Without it, there is tyranny.

And to protect against tyranny they wrote the second amendment. List in priority.

 

[MehGuy]

I never said that they did not. But they don't go around insulting shorter men. MehGuy seems to think that they do.

I prefer dark haired, olive skinned women. Dosen't mean I have any ill will to blondes.

But I and other shorter men have witnessed and been subjected to it ourselves. And I hate to say this but there are probably plenty of women who might be mocking you behind your back. Especially when you go below the 5 foot 4 inch zone.

I'll have to say a lot of the women who mocked me for my height have been fat women. So I have an especially hard time mustering up compassion when other fat women whine on the Internet about how they're treated, especially when the woes of shorter men are often stuffed under the rug.

 

[Cimorene]

I would agree 100%...it was watching guys like Mike O'hearn that inspired me to lose and weight and start hitting the gym after watching his youtube workout videos & fitness info.

Unfortunately, society seems to be moving more toward the mindset of insulating people (who aren't taking care of themselves) from criticism.

All of this "you can't fat shame people" stuff is bogus in 99.9% of cases. I get that in very very few cases there could be a glandular issue or something that cause the person's weight to skyrocket out of their control...but like I said before, that's a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of the people that are overweight.

The vast majority of people that are overweight are in that situation for one (or many) of these reasons:
1) Doesn't have the will power to limit junk food intake
2) Doesn't have the self-control to not over-eat
3) Doesn't have the will power to exercise instead of sitting on the couch

Even with just reasonable portion control, and reasonable limits on caloric & carbohydrate intake, and a modest four 20 minute workouts per week, a person could stay reasonably fit healthy...you're not going to get "jacked" or "shredded" with that, but they'll be reasonably fit.

People who are fit, shouldn't have to walk on eggshells...and people who are making poor choices shouldn't be immune from criticism from people who are fit.

We wouldn't do that with any other form of poor life choices...

For example, if I saw someone running with scissors, and said "are you some sort of idiot?!?! stop doing that!!", the PC crowd wouldn't rally around that person and insulate them and say "that's scissor shaming, and you can't do that! it's not nice!"


Our society is slowly turning into a Harrison Bergeron scenario (for any Kurt Vonnegut fans in the audience lol)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison_Bergeron

It is motivating for sure! I love seeing how much progress friends have made! IMO it's great to get motivated by somebody else but Idk that a stranger's poor life choices are for us to do something about. Except for smoking, Dui, stuff that affects us you know. I don't think it's useful to them or us, bc they're probably not going to change from it & it's just a distraction for us. I think we need to put our attn. on bettering ourselves. A dr. can tell a person who is overweight or too skinny that it's not healthy & to do something, parents can do something about their kids' health. Idk that anybody else should take on that job if it's not their job. That's not the same as saying that being obese is unhealthy, like making it general not personal I mean. They told us over & over & over again about the risks of being overweight in health, & what to do about it. I don't think the ban in London was really about trying to not show any ads of healthy or pretty people. Just not ads with pictures that have been photoshopped like crazy so that it doesn't even look like the model /actor anymore. Models & actors have complained about that too, bc it's such a distortion of how they really look. Did you see the vid I posted of the model who'd been photoshopped so much it looked like her arms almost went to her knees? She was joking about it on Ellen.
I think there's always going to be people who are jealous of others, so you can't just walk on eggshells bc of them, you have to just be you. Otoh Idk of anyone who hasn't been teased or criticized for something or another about how they look, who they are, at some point. My sister has mild asperger's, a big birthmark on her neck, & she was pretty overweight for a while bc of medicine she had to take. She's had a big chest since she was 13. She got bullied, left out, judged, all that. By people in person & randoms online who commented on pics meanly. Who hasn't met a jerk online. She just doesn't let that stuff bring her down! She gets hurt of course but she doesn't dwell. She's doing super great. People need to be more resilient IMO.

 

[Gadarene]

I'm not sure what you're objecting to here. A mayor using his authority and doing his job? Oh no!

And anyone who was living in London last year knew that those ads were a bad idea.

No, that we know of for sure only about 37,000 people did, assuming each of the complaints had a unique complainant.

 

[Gadarene]

Most likely both at the same time. I don't know much about this London mayor, but feminism ironically would be a good hysteria melting pot to exploit for more tradional values.

Indeed.

Both feminists and Muslims hate sexy depictions of women to an almost puritanical extent. Generally both have no issues with higher authorities censoring problematic content.

There was that rather disturbing incident at Goldsmiths College where ex-Muslim activist Maryam Namazie's talk was heckled by students from the Islamic society. Their "safe space" was being violated, and of course the college's feminist society backed the Islamic students.

And when Muslims do do horrifically awful things like the Cologne assaults or the, feminists are comparatively muted in their criticism. One scumbag white American, Brock Turner, commits one rape, and all men everywhere are supposed to join forces to stop him. Systematic attacks by radical Islamists? Hey, don't claim that any of them are anything to do with Islam. That's racist..

 

[ThatRobGuy]

I guess the question I ask is, what is the USE in fat shaming people?

I put the "fat shaming" in quotes because like I said, the term is bogus (at least in the way it's used)...

They're equating "glorifying someone who looks good and fit" with "trying to make fat people feel bad"...and they're not the same thing. there might be overlap in some instances...

Putting a picture of a muscular man in an ad isn't the same thing as standing on a street corner insulting fat people.

 

[rambot]

I put the "fat shaming" in quotes because like I said, the term is bogus (at least in the way it's used)

They're equating "glorifying someone who looks good and fit" with "trying to make fat people feel bad"...and they're not the same thing. there might be overlap in some instances...

Advertising works by means of making the consumer feel inadequate without their product. Almost by definition, they are trying to make "overweight" (not just fat....even people MILDLY overweight or self conscious) feel bad.

Putting a picture of a muscular man in an ad isn't the same thing as standing on a street corner insulting fat people.

What I meant by my metaphor is that you "get more bees with honey" attitude of helping chnage.

 

[MehGuy]

Advertising works by means of making the consumer feel inadequate without their product. Almost by definition, they are trying to make "overweight" (not just fat....even people MILDLY overweight or self conscious) feel bad.

What I meant by my metaphor is that you "get more bees with honey" attitude of helping chnage.

I agree with you. Ads like Protein World are probably designed to make people feel bad about their bodies.

I just fail to see how censoring subway ads are going to do squat in improving people's self esteem. Especially with the rise of new media where hot bodies are able to be plastered around like never before. It's a losing battle. Especially considering how little the body positive movement focuses on male issues. You really think that is going to inspire us to be comrades in the movement?

Personally I think Protein World type ads should be allowed to be posted in subway stations and people should just suck it up, but if we're going to do this we better do this with consistency.

 

[Picky Picky]

I agree with you. Ads like Protein World are probably designed to make people feel bad about their bodies.

I just fail to see how censoring subway ads are going to do squat in improving people's self esteem. Especially with the rise of new media where hot bodies are able to be plastered around like never before. It's a losing battle. Especially considering how little the body positive movement focuses on male issues. You really think that is going to inspire us to be comrades in the movement?

Personally I think Protein World type ads should be allowed to be posted in subway stations and people should just suck it up, but if we're going to do this we better do this with consistency.

Transport for London obviously has a policy for advertising on its premises, and arrangements for how those rules should be applied — just as a newspaper or a cinema or a television station or a billboard company has. TfL's policy seems mainstream and sensible, and it obviously has the right to formulate such a policy. What's the issue?