I actually just have a few questions about this whole “dad bod” thing.

Before I begin, I’d like to preface this by saying that my problem with the phenomenon of widespread acceptance of male flabbiness has nothing to do with my personal preference insofar as the male physique is concerned. Whether a man is skinny, chubby or ripped does not have much baring on his overall sexiness to me, so “dad bod” it up if that’s what you want to do.  But I feel like my personal taste actually compounds my confusion surrounding the topic – I’m down with it, but I still find myself being a bit curious…

Are we officially telling men that we place more value on their personality and their “yolo” approach to life (and food, and drink) than we do their physical appearance?

Are we ever planning on doing this for women?

Are we freeing men from the confines of the “health and fitness” industry? Have they been let off the hook?

Do women really still have to order salads for lunch and take pains to ensure they remain in top physical shape (a.k.a. skinny…. perhaps with a big booty or huge boobs, but skinny nonetheless)?

Are people seriously writing articles, getting all excited about the new hot male body – the body whose spokesperson is a wasted Leonardo DiCaprio, running around topless wielding a water-gun and loose pectoral muscles?

How fast are women expected to bounce back from childbirth again?

Oh, ok. Cool..

This new sexy dad bod is acquired by having spontaneous beers with friends, enjoying half a pizza from time to time, and going for ice cream on the really hot days…

So, are women expected to enjoy these activities with their male peers? Or do we still have to be conscious of our appearances when it comes time to make a decision on whether or not to indulge?

What are we teaching young girls about the value of their appearance vs. that of boys?

For men, a carefree attitude and an aptitude for having a good time every now and again trumps his physical appearance as far as society is concerned. Which is AMAZING (if you’re a dude), but I don’t recall ever having read any articles about the oh-so-desirable flabby mom-bod. The body that says: “I prioritize my own personal pleasure over other people’s perception of me so fuck you and hand me that Maple Bacon Doughnut” is not the new standard of sexiness FOR WOMEN, and I’m not so sure that it ever will be.

And that is a problem. Wouldn’t you say?

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Originally published May 19, 2015