This might be an interesting discussion. Have any of you received negative attention from your physique.
I have two incidents from last summer.
In the first one, I was walking to the hospital where my nephew had just been born. I had to park far away because of construction being done to it. I was wearing a form-fitting, though not tight, v-neck T-shirt. Some young jackass yelled out the window, “Can your shirt be any tighter f@—0t?” I turned around and gave my middle finger and yelled, “Fuck you!”
Not a wise thing to do as an outnumbered man for shock they could have turn Rx around and done who knows what.
In the second incident, I was walking home from the gym in a tank top and some guy in a car yelled out, “Steroids!”
Though not negative, in another situation I was jogging and some guy driving with a window down pumped his fist and yelled out, “Raah!” This might have just been shared enthusiasm.
Keep in mind, I am only 5’10” (borderline manlet) and not enormous, though it’s obvious I lift.
I see people puff up and hold their arms out wider, or they intentionally try to make me scoot over if we’re passing after an obvious once over. It can be weird. Like do they expect me to sumo wrestle them or pick them up and dump them in the trash can to prove a point?
Verbally I’ve never been flat out attacked that I can remember but hear “oh a big guy, huh” with a tone and similar comments occasionally.
Now and then someone will ask why or something, but it doesn’t bother me. Either they’re not in to it or don’t have the drive ti make it happen and neither is my problem.
Aren’t you in the NYC area? People yelling wisecracks is a pastime there. From my experience with people from the NYC and North Jersey area, you tend to have thicker skins. You also appreciate a good come back.
When I think of negative attention, I think in terms of people thinking you’re not intelligent or that you’re crude and unrefined. Or that you’re a narcissist. On the flip side, we look at someone who obviously works out as disciplined, hard working and goal oriented. Rather than narcissist, we see someone with self esteem.
No, I’ve only had the opposite. That said, when I’m not working out I do not wear tight clothing, or anything workout-related. I dress pretty stylishly with clothes that fit well (not to sound too braggy). People can still tell you’re fit and put together, though, and will comment on it.
At the CF gym, I wear typical workout clothing like more form fitting tees and athletic shorts. Here, I get comments from others but more in jest than anything else - because I’m one of the older people in the gym but also one of the more lean and muscular.
For the very most part I got positive attention or none at all. But there was a period during the 1970’s when some women seemed to go out of their way let me know that they didn’t find excessive muscles at all attractive. (Remember that Pumping Iron didn’t get released until 1977.) I took their negative reactions as a compliment.
Of course, there were quite a few women who liked a muscular man.
The only time I ever had issues with being a bigger dude was when me and my wife were still living in a really rough spot of Michigan. There is Dashcam Video (I’ll link it if I can find it) of a chase, very close to where we lived. It was a felony stop and the 4 ran on foot, it was pretty funny to recognize the surroundings.
I recall almost getting into 3 fights there because of my size, always with my wife there too, and I always was the one being respectful. I hate that time and don’t think about it much but that was really the only ever time I ever dealt with negative attention.
Outside of that environment, it’s always been nothing but respect. I usually wear pretty comfortable and loose clothing. My traps, chest and shoulders still pop out though, that’s what most people comment on. I don’t talk much to anyone about lifting unless someone asks or it’s on the forums. At the end of the day I’m just a regular dude lol.
Only about 5’9", muscular 180 (or at least obvious I train and am not a fat fucker). Usually hear positive stuff, if anything at all, though I have been “shamed” a time or two by (unhealthy) women. I was “into that healthy stuff” I guess. Incidentally the only women to shame me (only has happened maybe twice) were fuckin disgusting. One of them wanted to bang me but her breath smelt perpetually like coffee, cigarettes and dick. Nice girl.
As far as people telling me to get a tighter shirt and calling me a fag, I would have gave them the finger too. I don’t have a tough guy personality but if they want to park the car and come fuck with me I’m cool with that. Did it all the time coming up. Probably wouldn’t do it in NY though.
Sometimes people do stare at me but I think it’s because of my mustache or my ass.
I recently considered growing a handlebar, as I had years ago. I remembered one time in a meeting, I had it very curled with wax, at an old job my administrator was trying to speak to me with a straight face and not burst out laughing.
Telling you bro, people just don’t grow them anymore. I don’t even curl mine, just let the sides grown down to my jawline. I’d guess I look a lot like a trucker.
I don’t think I’ve ever had any directly negative comments based on size, but I occasionally get some passive-agressive comments. For example, guys randomly bring up what they do in the gym, but end with “I just don’t want to get too big, you know?” And to echo @RT_Nomad, women occasionally will comment that they don’t like men who have “too many muscles.” Interestingly, that only happens when I’m with my wife.
I was verbally berated by some low eye q Eyetalian circus barker on the board walk in Atlantic City for refusing to play his rigged sandbag game… then lost $5 in slots at the Trump casino
Not doing it. Haha. I think they’re great, but they get into food and drinks when not waxed. I recently attempted to grow one again by as soon as it got long enough to get in I what I ate, I stopped.
