'Sweat-shaming' - a thing, apparently

speedboatchase

We've had fat-shaming, slut-shaming, skinny-shaming, period-shaming (EDIT: forgot about that one) and someone invented 'makeup-shaming' back in June.

Now, according to The Guardian (obviously), we have a whole new way to play the victim card: 'sweat-shaming'. I've highlighted some quotes below.



Why I was sweat-shamed as I waited for my coffee at Starbucks

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/sep/30/sweat-shamed-waited-for-my-coffee-at-starbucks



I was ordering coffee when I noticed a well-dressed woman staring at me.

“You look like you just did a class,” she said, giving me the once-over. I had no idea what she meant so I said nothing.

“Or swimming?” she offered, with a tight smile.

Oh, that. I’d just run 12 miles and the hair sticking out from under my hat was wet. It took me a moment to formulate an answer.

“Um, running,” I mumbled finally. “I just … sweat a lot.”

I took the paper cup of drip coffee and hustled past the condiment bar. Screw the half-and-half; I’d drink it black.

Once safely inside my car, I threw off my damp running cap and flipped up the hood of my sweatshirt in embarrassment. I wanted to dive deep into that Lululemon Scuba and never come back up for air.

Eventually the caffeine kicked in and it hit me: I’d been sweat-shamed. Sweat-shaming is when someone points out your sweatiness as a way to signal disapproval. Like its counterparts, slut-shaming and fat-shaming, sweat-shaming is aimed mainly at women, who are actually not supposed to sweat at all.

Horses sweat, men perspire, and women glow, as the saying goes.

I glow like a nuclear reactor. My body cools itself exactly as I need it to. After long, hard runs my fair, fine hair sometimes ends up dripping wet. I bring dry clothes to throw on afterward and try to forget about it.

Until somebody reminds me. Strong may be the new sexy and fit may be the new skinny but sweaty is as gross as ever. To “sweat like a pig” is to be fat, dirty, uncivilized. Nobody wants to fall into this category, so we attempt to conceal our perspiration – something I’d tried but failed to do at Starbucks.

Rather than challenge sweat-shaming, I played right into it, conceding that I “sweat a lot.”

But do I, really? We have been hiding this natural bodily function so long we have no idea how much a “normal” woman sweats – if there is such a thing – much the same way many men have no idea how much make-up it takes to produce “natural” beauty.

Now, instead of just concealing sweat, we may opt to stop it entirely. A flurry of recent “trend” articles describe how some women are getting Botox injected into in their scalps to keep their heads from sweating, thus preserving their blow-outs through intense SoulCycle sessions.

Pharmaceuticals may one day liberate us from perspiration. But what if instead we chose to be liberated by it?

In her book, The Female Grotesque, feminist theorist Mary Russo explains how throughout literature, the image of the “open, protruding, secreting body,” stands in contrast to archetypal female beauty and might offer a way to subvert it.

Open, protruding, secreting; this sounds a lot like the body of a woman running. Literature’s crones and bearded ladies may have been on to something, but it would be nice if women could exercise their freedoms without being regarded as freaks.

If I were to re-imagine the sweat-shaming incident as a music video, it would play out like this: a spotlight comes down, and maybe a disco ball. Baristas dance back-up around me.

“I don’t think you’re ready for this sweaty,” I belt out, to the tune of Bootylicious.

It’s just a fantasy, but it helps me see how I might react differently. I’ve got another long run this weekend and afterward, I’m going to sit down with my coffee, all sweaty and transgressive.

The stigmas surrounding women’s bodies are powerful, but they’re no match for how powerful I feel after running.

What a delicate ****ing flower.

Caliden

Or chit chat?


What a ridiculous article. Some people need to stop running to the internet to seek gratification from others.

Nodin

I suppose saying "fuck off ye cow" and carrying on was too much to ask.

Sheep Lover

I shat myself and rubbed it all over the shop counter when I went in for a gallon of milk earlier. Of course your one behind the counter was displeased and made a suggestion she was not happy about this encounter.

I had been...... sh1t-shamed

The Backwards Man

Ever hear the saying 'you can't shame a galloping donkey'?


I think it's a saying that should be used more often.

jimbob_jones

Sums it up

gramar

Whoever wrote than article is someone who wanted to take wilful offence.
The other silly cow in the article probably had her armpits botoxed and wanted to feel wilfully superior because her armpits were as dry as her fanny.

Links234

I see the Guardian is still being the Guardian. Thanks for letting us know OP.

biko

Can we have Starbucks shaming please?
Can that be the next thing?

Shaming combined with a punch to the forehead.


"Is that Starbucks coffee?"
"Yeah, I just couldn't live without my daily mocha-focha..."
"Douche! *POW*"

Harry Palmr

The great thing about these ludicrous guardian (and other) articles is the comments BTL, which are invariably a mix of the hilarious and enlightening. Far better than what's ATL as a rule.

How about we start drama queen shaming? Or precious princess shaming? Or self-entitled idiot shaming? I'm all for that.

Kev W

Both people in this story are ****.

The stranger for commenting on the author's appearance as if it's any of their business and the author for thinking this was a story worth telling the world.

seamus

The problem is not that someone else commented on her sweating, the problem is that the author is ashamed of sweating. She says so right in the article.

Someone can only "sweat shame" you if you're ashamed of sweating. So this woman needs to get over herself and grow a backbone and some self-esteem.

Duggy747

Oh the humanity of it all.

I hope she found an appropriate therapist and is on the right medication for this horrific event which of course would give anyone PTSD.

She sounds like she either has no self-esteem or, more than likely, thought "I know a good article to write!"

This article of her plight triggered my trigger on triggers of triggers where triggers are involved.

Trigger

Kev W

Also “I don’t think you’re ready for this sweaty” would be a terrible comeback.

Better to go with "I just climbed down off your husband, actually. Most of this is his."

Plus -- if she's really just after finishing a 12 mile run, is a coffee from Starbucks really going to be your first priority?

jimbob_jones

Deleted User wrote: »

Plus -- if she's really just after finishing a 12 mile run, is a coffee from Starbucks really going to be your first priority?

Coffee shaming on-top of sweat shaming

Oh the humanity !!!

osarusan

Once you see it is in the commentisfree section, you know there will be trouble.

Why the Guardian continues to allow these submissions from outside writers is beyond me.

RichardoKhan

The Internet has given us many things. From the sublime to the ridiculous but it comes at a price. That price is that everyone has a voice. From very dangerous extremists to the Drama Royalty (Drama Kings & Queens). 20 Years ago we would have just ignored these people as rambling fools in the Pub, cafe, workplace etc.
Now other affiliates hook in & the media has a field day...............

Just like then, now & in the future IGNORE them...............

Penn

*runs 12 miles*
"Hey, you look like you just ran 12 miles"
...
"Open, protruding, secreting; this sounds a lot like the body of a woman running. Literature’s crones and bearded ladies may have been on to something, but it would be nice if women could exercise their freedoms without being regarded as freaks."

seamus

I learned a brilliant new phrase from the comments section though, which sums up exactly what this article and stuff of its ilk are:

"Victim Claiming"

Fantastic.

I....I....I just...

GLaDOS

I don't think a single person in the world would take that article seriously, and I include the author in that.

smoking_kills

ScienceNerd wrote: »

I don't think a single person in the world would take that article seriously, and I include the author in that.

Never been to Tumblr I see. :eek:

jimgoose

speedboatchase wrote: »

...“You look like you just did a class,” she said, giving me the once-over. I had no idea what she meant so I said nothing.

“Or swimming?” she offered, with a tight smile...

"Fuck off and mind your own business." <END-OF-LINE>

Knasher

A guy out begging near an ATM once told me I looked like a goat. I wonder if I could write an article for the guardian about that.

Anyone know if goat shaming is a thing yet?

Duggy747

Well, this is the same paper that had an article stating that ties are sexist :pac:

Knasher

Knasher wrote: »

A guy out begging near an ATM once told me I looked like a goat. I wonder if I could write an article for the guardian about that.

Anyone know if goat shaming is a thing yet?

Yes, yes it is.

Xaracatz

Duggy747 wrote: »

Well, this is the same paper that had an article stating that ties are sexist :pac:

"Pointing insistently towards the man's crotch" apparently.

That's ruined my tie appreciation for today anyway.

At least it was unambiguously pointed out that "some academics might be women".

KungPao

Deleted User wrote: »

Plus -- if she's really just after finishing a 12 mile run, is a coffee from Starbucks really going to be your first priority?

Ever notice how stories like these always mention something like Starbucks, M&S, a classy restaurant? I reckon she was standing in a queue in a Spar getting a bottle of Fanta and a packet of wotsits, but needed to 'glam up' the article.

Boom_Bap

The woman in the article is just "well-dressed woman" shaming

jimgoose

jimgoose wrote: »

"Fuck off and mind your own business." <END-OF-LINE>

Why would you be rude to someone who's making small talk. She had run 12 miles and is surprised that she looks like she was out running? Huh? Obviously in running gear too.

It's not like she was there in jeans and a t-shirt with full face of make up and her hair all pretty, but with massive big sweaty pits. If someone had then said to her "you look like you've been running" then that'd be a bit embarrassing. But uh, she looked like she'd been running because she had been running.

mdwexford

Women :rolleyes:

SEPT 23 1989

Another World War would put an end to this nonsense

Calibos

What an attractive glowing woman in front of me. She looks like shes just done a workout. I could do with getting fit myself and I'm new to the area. I think I'll open a conversation with her and find out where or what she does to keep herself so fit and beautiful....

Oh, curt one word answer and she made a quick exit. Oh well, must be a little socially awkward. Pity. I'll just have to google for Gyms in the area when I get home.....

(visits Guardian website later that evening)

WHAT THE EVER LOVING FCUK?!?!?!

:rolleyes:

Barely There

I'd like to sweat-shame Dave from Accounts in here, he loves leaning back putting his arms behind his head and displaying his big sweat-stains to the whole office.

fizzypish

I used to sweat so much that in college I used to leave puddles of crack sweat in those uncomfortable plastic chairs. Thankfully I only sweat more than average now.

jimgoose

Deleted User wrote: »

Why would you be rude to someone who's making small talk...

A total stranger in the queue of a coffee shop commenting on my appearance like that? Well hey, I'm just making small-talk too!

DamagedTrax

this story really throws light on the need for much more moron-shaming.

Datallus

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Ever hear the saying 'you can't shame a galloping donkey'?


I think it's a saying that should be used more often.

I think I can, hand on heart, say that I've never heard of it, but it's quite brilliant in its pithiness and also kinda poetic. I must use it more often.

Tarzana2

For it to be a true blue Guardian article we need to find some way to make sweat-shaming a slight against feminism.

Dr.Internet

Everything has to be a crisis nowadays, why didn't she tell the one to **** off if it bothered her

Panthro

Whoever wrote the article is nothing but a fockin fool.
Grow up ta fock. Getting rocked by the words of an aul wan. Sure if we all were like that we'd be focked from day one.

Maximus Alexander

I love when I finish a run and notice big sweat patches have appeared on the front and back of my t-shirt. The whole point if doing it is to work up a sweat like.

OleRodrigo

Although the Guardian still provides good journalism and commentary ( George Monbiot, Paul Mason, The Long Read etc ), it seems to have changed its business strategy by providing more empty articles that are intended to generate a certain response and reaction. The comment section is ultimately a tool for generating more traffic to their website, keeping readers there for longer and hopefully increasing their paid member subscriptions, now that ad blockers are widely used. This article is just another of those frivolous topics that leave you feeling you have just wasted your time and energy. ' A thing ' indeed.

Taking the bait for a moment, Mrs Rodrigo recently sweat shamed me at an Indian restaurant.
' Oh, you're sweating '
' Yeah, this curry is hot ' .

And that was that.

Datallus

OleRodrigo wrote: »

topics that leave you feeling you have just wasted your time and energy.

A bit like this place so :P

hatrickpatrick

We need to talk about [the standard prefix for SJW articles] "shame-shaming".

Shame-shaming is the horrific and disturbing new trend of people being attacked for having sensory perception, and forming opinions on the environment and people around them based on that sensory perception.

Datallus

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

We need to talk about [the standard prefix for SJW articles] "shame-shaming".

Shame-shaming is the horrific and disturbing new trend of people being attacked for having sensory perception, and forming opinions on the environment and people around them based on that sensory perception.

Hey, that's actually a serious problem in our society, check your privilege. :mad:

c_man

Guys, c'mon lets end the hate. You can defeat your bigotry towards... sweating people.

When did the word shame get redefined?

The problem with even discussing this crap is that it gives it an audience and lends credence to the whole thing by making it worthy of discussion and debate. This is just some stupid sh!t that someone came out with and got published as a filler because the newspapers know people like us will talk about it online. Anyone with two brain cells to rub together knows it's moronic crap.

If we let common sense take it's course and just roll our eyes and move on, then it doesn't have to be a thing at all. It dies, like it deserves to. Let's not talk inane musings into being more important than they are.