Get a Better Calorie Burn When You Smash the Patriarchy

Get stronger when you lift the weight of oppression.

Photo by John Arano on Unsplash

I’m in one of the many Facebook groups for women when I see a familiar post. A woman in her forties is asking how to lose weight and giving an exhaustive list of every single thing she’s ever tried — to no avail. I’m exhausted just reading the list of restrictions and regimented physical activity.

I tell myself not to do it. I tell myself to keep scrolling and keep my trap shut. I take a deep, cleansing breath.

But, of course, I do it anyway.

I decided to jump in to be the annoying person to say that what we really ought to be losing is these patriarchal beauty standards.

Get your calorie burn when you overthrow the patriarchy!

It’s big business to make women hate themselves. Every single time we feel bad about ourselves, an advertiser gets a bonus. Perhaps not with that level of immediacy, but we can be sure that if a campaign is impressing upon us some deficiency, they’re ready to sell us some snake oil to fix it. They need us scared of aging, growing, and changing. Empowered women aren’t buying their crap, but insecure women are lining up in droves for whatever “one thing” they’re selling that is…