Smut Boys - James

Hi all, I’m James. I first experienced body image issues following the pandemic when I had gained about a stone and a half. I wasn’t at this point feeling bad about it and personally did not care, until I bumped into a former friend with benefits. This man was someone who I considered slim but who was larger than myself. He came over to talk and after 15 minutes of talking he poked my stomach and asked, “Where did this gut come from?”

Following this comment I spiralled about my body image for a year or so until I bumped into the same gentleman again and noticed he had gained weight over the course of the same year. I realised then that he had perhaps been projecting his own insecurities onto me, and from that moment I chose to focus on myself and how I felt instead of how others felt about me. Since then I've managed to have a more healthy view of myself and my body - now I exercise for fun and not because someone told me I had a gut.

No matter what size or shape you are, make sure to love yourself for you and make any changes for you, not for anyone else!