Despite all the hype and gossip over the last few months, I have completely stayed away from the "Dad Bod" topic. I ignored the Today Show segments, the social media comments and the awkwardly popular blog posts.
But as a male and a father, and quite honestly as a person, I have to comment -- the Vin Diesel stuff put me over the edge. Google his name, and now "Dad Bod" appears on the first page of search items. My beef isn't about him; it's about the entire topic, but he was the straw that broke the camel's back.
I don't get it.
How can we publicaly and shamelessly chastise someone/anyone for basically "losing their looks?" I'm embarrassed.
First of all, who cares that some hot guy put on a little weight? Who cares if he had to move from a 32" jean to a "34" or a 36"? Who cares that he lost a six-pack and now has a keg? And how on earth is it so acceptable to call it out and judge it? And make it a headline?
Secondly, let's just embrace the fact that he's a dad. All dads!
By sharp contrast, I just love the social movement of "dads wearing babies." Now we're talking! Let's support dad for taking on the mental and physical stress of parenting, and give him some creds. Let's comment on his love, not his love handles.
Now truthfully women continue to be held to unrealistic standards on body image; that has certainly not gone away. I have an adult daughter so I see it and hear it myself. So we certainly shouldn't be creating hashtags about moms gaining weight either. Anyone should be jailed in the court of social opinion over that as well.
So why is it ok to do it to dads?
We should never criticize what raising children has done to the human shape. We should never cast judgment on passing through our life stages and aging. We should never criticize the impact that raising kids has on our minds and bodies.
We should instead respect and embrace it.
Can we just make this "dad bod" thing go away?