# Fat women and yoga pants/spandex **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 16, 2015, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-women-and-yoga-pants-spandex/712825 "2015-02-16T16:57:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-women-and-yoga-pants-spandex/712825/61 "2015-02-17T17:20:54Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > Puh-leez. I didn’t learn charming terms like “spinner,” butterface," and “DSLs” from women. I used to have a number of platonic male drinking buddies, and the sheer number of hours they could spend dissecting the body parts of their friends and coworkers into minute, detailed nuggets of pure judgement was astounding. > > Women do it to, but don’t even try to say men don’t. I know what a “butterface” is, but what are “spinners” and "DSL"s? (Other than hubcaps and cameras, respectively.) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-women-and-yoga-pants-spandex/712825/62 "2015-02-17T17:30:09Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > I know what a “butterface” is, but what are “spinners” and "DSL"s? (Other than hubcaps and cameras, respectively.) DSL: dick sucking lips. spinner: thin, petite, agile young lady who can “spin”; sitting on your lap, facing you, then do a 180 or 360 without disengaging. At least, that’s the definitions I’ve heard. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-women-and-yoga-pants-spandex/712825/63 "2015-02-17T17:35:49Z")
Just thought I’d point out that most yoga pants people are wearing are shaping not just stretchy. So a girl wearing Lulu Lemon pants isn’t just going with what’s comfortable, it makes her ass look good. There’s a limit on what the technology can do, of course. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-women-and-yoga-pants-spandex/712825/64 "2015-02-17T17:38:25Z")
I’m in the camp that says no one of any size should wear yoga pants anywhere, other than to do yoga. But since that isn’t going to happen, maybe the next time you see a larger lady in exercise clothing you can change your derision to praise and silently congratulate her for making an effort to work on that body that you find so hideous. ---
**Author:** ![inedible\_knapsack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/49beb7/32.png) [@inedible\_knapsack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/inedible_knapsack)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-women-and-yoga-pants-spandex/712825/65 "2015-02-17T18:22:41Z")
> [@Sam\_Lowry](#): > > Do you think that women are self-conscious and critical of their bodies for no reason? That it’s in a vacuum? It’s because they’ve heard other people criticize their bodies. Or they’ve heard people criticize women’s bodies in general, and know that they would be included in that. > > And it’s not just fat women. Average size women can hear men talk about how some Hollywood star like Jennifer Lopez or Christina Hendricks or someone is too fat or pick apart their bodies, and think “if they think those gorgeous women are gross, then I must be the most disgusting thing ever.” > > [Also, consider who is most likely to get eating disorders out of men and women, straight, gay, or bisexual](http://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/information/eating-disorder/gay-lesbian): > > Straight men and gay women are not trying to attract men, and also are the least likely to have eating disorders. Gay men and straight women are trying to attract men, and are more likely to have eating disorders. I don’t see this as a coincidence. I can’t believe, in 2015, it’s still acceptable to insinuate that men must surely be the ultimate root cause of all feminine suffering. We certainly have a long way to go before the remnants of a patriarchal society are gone and we realize true gender equality, but _everybody_ has to take some ownership of getting to that place. If _women_ perpetuate the idea that men are ravening sex-wolves who place no value on the feminine creature besides the shape of her flesh, and it is reinforced by other women and girls, I just can’t believe that, in all cases, men are actively behind the scenes pulling the strings. The most vile, disgusting, horrible things I’ve heard people say about women’s bodies were said by women, and while I’m sure they’d happily blame men for making them think that way, I call BS. I don’t care what gender you are, you have to take responsibility for the horrible things you say and do to other people–and to yourself–at some point. I’ve never done anything other than try to build women up, thus my confusion with why women wear these things and go out to inevitably compare themselves to some unrealistic standard and destroy their self-esteem. People in this thread keeps saying “maybe they don’t care what other people think.” As an answer to the OP, that’s fine. Whatever. But most people do care what other people think, no matter what they convince themselves of, and those are the ones I don’t understand. ---
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-women-and-yoga-pants-spandex/712825/66 "2015-02-17T18:46:28Z")
> [@inedible\_knapsack](#): > > **Tuxie** But I can imagine, if it’s comfort you want, some of those long, loose cotton skirts, some khaki pants, or jogging pants would fit the bill just fine, and none of those would be nearly as revealing. And they wouldn’t require any more work and might even be fashionable to boot, depending on how you wore them. Not true. Apart from the fact that skirts are just not everyone’s style choice, if you are bigger you have to deal with chafing in summer and they are cold in winter. So in both cases you’d need to wear something under them. So yes, they are more work Khaki pants usually need to fit very well to be comfortable. As mentioned above, this is not easy for heavier women. It can also get expensive. Jogging pants might work, if not at the gym. However, when you are doing something that make you sweaty, leggings, preferably lycra ones, wick moisture much more efficiently. Plus I think jogging pants don’t rank all that much higher in the “fashionable” stakes. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-women-and-yoga-pants-spandex/712825/67 "2015-02-17T19:06:57Z")
> [@inedible\_knapsack](#): > > I can’t believe, in 2015, it’s still acceptable to insinuate that men must surely be the ultimate root cause of all feminine suffering. I definitely wasn’t insinuating that. That sounds like a strawman argument. I was responding to someone who earlier in the thread specifically said “Men aren’t the ones making value judgements about women’s bodies.” And posted a link to a poll that says 97% of women are critical of their own bodies every day. There can be arguments about who is more critical about women’s bodies. And the way that men and women in general are critical and judgmental about bodies and fashion is probably different. But it would be ridiculous to say that the vast majority of body criticism comes from women, just like it would be ridiculous to say that men are the only cause of female suffering. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-women-and-yoga-pants-spandex/712825/68 "2015-02-17T19:20:30Z")
> [@PookahMacPhellimey](#): > > Jogging pants might work, if not at the gym. However, when you are doing something that make you sweaty, leggings, preferably lycra ones, wick moisture much more efficiently. Plus I think jogging pants don’t rank all that much higher in the “fashionable” stakes. Plus, apparently a lot of people think that wearing sweat pants while shopping at the [grocery store](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=505582) is unacceptable ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-women-and-yoga-pants-spandex/712825/69 "2015-02-17T19:24:07Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > DSL: dick sucking lips. > > spinner: thin, petite, agile young lady who can “spin”; sitting on your lap, facing you, then do a 180 or 360 without disengaging. > > At least, that’s the definitions I’ve heard. I was planning to ask the same question. Sometimes I’m really stunned we as a species manage to reproduce. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-women-and-yoga-pants-spandex/712825/70 "2015-02-17T20:46:05Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > In what world are men the ones judging women more/harder than they judge themselves? Women do it to themselves with their self dialogue, how they talk about each other, the magazines they buy, etc. > [@bump](#): > > But women will pick that shit apart like you wouldn’t believe; like it’s a moral failing to show up in public with bad hair and no makeup, and ugly clothing. > [@inedible\_knapsack](#): > > I’ve never done anything other than try to build women up, thus my confusion with why women wear these things and go out to inevitably compare themselves to some unrealistic standard and destroy their self-esteem. It’s certainly interesting that the three of you have chosen a thread started by a man for the sole purpose of criticizing women who don’t “look good” to accuse _women_ of being too judgmental on this subject. Funnily enough, none of you have said a thing to the OP about how he shouldn’t be so critical of women’s clothing and bodies or that the way women he doesn’t even know choose to dress is really none of his business. If any of you had any genuine concern about women being judged too harshly for their looks, you could easily have taken a moment to say “Dude, not cool” to the man doing this RIGHT HERE. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-women-and-yoga-pants-spandex/712825/71 "2015-02-17T20:54:48Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > It’s certainly interesting that the three of you have chosen a thread started by a man for the sole purpose of criticizing women who don’t “look good” to accuse _women_ of being too judgmental on this subject. Funnily enough, none of you have said a thing to the OP about how he shouldn’t be so critical of women’s clothing and bodies or that the way women he doesn’t even know choose to dress is really none of his business. > > If any of you had any genuine concern about women being judged too harshly for their looks, you could easily have taken a moment to say “Dude, not cool” to the man doing this RIGHT HERE. What a great post. ---
**Author:** ![Trancephalic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trancephalic/32/380_2.png) [@Trancephalic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trancephalic)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-women-and-yoga-pants-spandex/712825/72 "2015-02-17T20:55:12Z")
I’m male who’s struggled with weight my whole life, and the most painful harassments I’ve directed towards me were all men, one of the most lingering is a little shithead who thought that repeating sotto voce “warning: dangerous cholesterol levels” whenever I was in earshot was endlessly witty. The worse I’ve gotten from women were derisive giggles and ironic catcalls, which still really hurt, especially since they typically happened during 8-12 mile jogs. And don’t get me started in ostensibly straight guys’ fixation on other guys’ penis sizes. ---
**Author:** ![inedible\_knapsack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/49beb7/32.png) [@inedible\_knapsack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/inedible_knapsack)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-women-and-yoga-pants-spandex/712825/73 "2015-02-17T20:56:00Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > It’s certainly interesting that the three of you have chosen a thread started by a man for the sole purpose of criticizing women who don’t “look good” to accuse _women_ of being too judgmental on this subject. Funnily enough, none of you have said a thing to the OP about how he shouldn’t be so critical of women’s clothing and bodies or that the way women he doesn’t even know choose to dress is really none of his business. > > If any of you had any genuine concern about women being judged too harshly for their looks, you could easily have taken a moment to say “Dude, not cool” to the man doing this RIGHT HERE. Touché. **Cardboard** , not cool. If you don’t like the view, don’t look. Maybe some of us do like the view, and maybe it doesn’t matter what we think. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-women-and-yoga-pants-spandex/712825/74 "2015-02-17T21:03:56Z")
I forgot to address the whole yoga pants issue. As a guy who likes looking I whole heartedly endorse the wearing of yoga pants. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-women-and-yoga-pants-spandex/712825/75 "2015-02-17T21:08:55Z")
> [@Trancephalic](#): > > I’m male who’s struggled with weight my whole life, and the most painful harassments I’ve directed towards me were all men, one of the most lingering is a little shithead who thought that repeating sotto voce “warning: dangerous cholesterol levels” whenever I was in earshot was endlessly witty. The worse I’ve gotten from women were derisive giggles and ironic catcalls, which still really hurt, especially since they typically happened during 8-12 mile jogs. > > And don’t get me started in ostensibly straight guys’ fixation on other guys’ penis sizes. Agreed. The thing is, I used to get catty comments from women. When we were all young. Not anymore. Oh, there are a few skinny girls who are actually bitches, who look down upon you, but when I am riding my bike it’s the guys who lean out of their cars and scream “YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOU’RE FAAAAAAAAAAAAT!”\* Women will stop and tell me what a great job I am doing or “You look great!” Adult women might be catty but it’s the adult men that are always the ones who say things out loud and nastily. \*Maybe I am, but I am the one riding my bike and YOU are sitting in the car. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-women-and-yoga-pants-spandex/712825/76 "2015-02-17T21:44:46Z")
Lol at the idea that women are trying to impress other women moreso their gender of romantic preference. This doesn’t even make intuitive sense, let alone have any basis in fact. What would be the pay off for a heterosexual woman to think this way? Attracting men accrues more tangible and intangible benefits than conforming to the standards other women set. That said, the majority of adult women on the street aren’t dressing with anyone except themselves in mind, unless they are going to a party, bar or club. Even then, it’s not like other people’s preferences have veto power over their own. I agree with those who said fat women wear yoga pants because they are comfy. Many people don’t let self-consciousness dictate their clothing choices, either because they aren’t all that self-conscious to begin with or because they’ve decided it’s better to be comfy than conventionally cute. The fact that the pants come in their size is seen by lots of people as a okay to wear those pants. I really can’t blame them for thinking that way either since it is zero consequence to me. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-women-and-yoga-pants-spandex/712825/77 "2015-02-17T22:51:52Z")
> [@Sam\_Lowry](#): > > Do you think that women are self-conscious and critical of their bodies for no reason? That it’s in a vacuum? It’s because they’ve heard other people criticize their bodies. Or they’ve heard people criticize women’s bodies in general, and know that they would be included in that. > > And it’s not just fat women. Average size women can hear men talk about how some Hollywood star like Jennifer Lopez or Christina Hendricks or someone is too fat or pick apart their bodies, and think “if they think those gorgeous women are gross, then I must be the most disgusting thing ever.” > > [Also, consider who is most likely to get eating disorders out of men and women, straight, gay, or bisexual](http://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/information/eating-disorder/gay-lesbian): > > Straight men and gay women are not trying to attract men, and also are the least likely to have eating disorders. Gay men and straight women are trying to attract men, and are more likely to have eating disorders. I don’t see this as a coincidence. That was an interesting article. However I get the impression the big factor is whether you consider yourself masculine or feminine. Lesbians who consider themselves feminine have the same eating disorder rates as heterosexual women while lesbians who consider themselves androgynous or masculine have lower rates. So I don’t see how you can say it is due to trying to attract men for that, feminine lesbians have eating disorder rates the same as heterosexual women. Does it break down masculine vs. feminine gay men regarding eating disorders? I’m guessing the pattern holds of the feminine gay men have more eating disorders, but I don’t know. As far as the argument that pressure from men causes it, if that is the cause why do feminine lesbians have the same eating disorder rates as heterosexual women? If it does hold where feminine gay men have a higher rate, then it would be more of a cultural phenomena more than a gender or orientation specific one. Edited: yup, it could be the masculine/feminine paradigm that plays a role in eating disorders. [https://web.duke.edu/eruditio/Chen.html](https://web.duke.edu/eruditio/Chen.html) TL;DR I disagree that the eating disorders are due to trying to ‘attract men’, they seem like they are more due to whether someone considers themselves masculine or feminine. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-women-and-yoga-pants-spandex/712825/78 "2015-02-17T23:00:21Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > It’s certainly interesting that the three of you have chosen a thread started by a man for the sole purpose of criticizing women who don’t “look good” to accuse _women_ of being too judgmental on this subject. Funnily enough, none of you have said a thing to the OP about how he shouldn’t be so critical of women’s clothing and bodies or that the way women he doesn’t even know choose to dress is really none of his business. > > **If any of you had any genuine concern about women being judged too harshly for their looks, you could easily have taken a moment to say “Dude, not cool” to the man doing this RIGHT HERE.** I don’t think I have a lot of concern about that. I’m not trying to get laid by playing the white knight, or acting like it is ok to be an asshole unless it is unpopular. I am expressing my opinion that women berate themselves about their bodies more than men berate them about their bodies. Others disagree. Fine and good. The fact that several women have disagreed with me implies that I am likely wrong (although when I wrote my post, I was thinking of something a woman told me about how women are their own harshest critics). Are there any women who agree with me that women’s self criticism is harsher and more constant than the criticism they get from men? ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-women-and-yoga-pants-spandex/712825/79 "2015-02-17T23:18:38Z")
hawhawhaw fat people are funny! Especially fat women in tight pants! hawhawhaw Oh and how DARE they offend our eyes with those pants! Uggh. No wonder so many young women are starving themselves. They’re terrified of being seen as whales. I fucking hate people sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-women-and-yoga-pants-spandex/712825/80 "2015-02-17T23:34:09Z")
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