Dad Bods and Double Standards

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Gone are the days where women drool over a perfectly tanned 6-pack. Say hello to a new kind of attraction: happy, faithful, and likes to eat spaghetti. You know. Because his wife’s a great cook. *wink*

In case you’re new to this phenomenon, Dad bods are the hot new thing.

Yes. You read that right. Men that aren’t quite in perfect tip-top shape are attractive to society right now. In fact, studies show that women are more attracted to the Dad-bod physique type. WAIT. WHAT?

[Image: BuzzFeed]

The dad bod is celebrated in our culture and is typically used as a term of endearment. But what crosses your mind when you hear the words, “Mom bod” or “Mom body”?  Stretch marks. Bloat. Saggy Skin.

Not so endearing, right? 

The hard truth is that mom bods are seen as shameful and lazy because moms are expected to be the do-it-all superwoman, all while looking like they’ve never bore children. Why haven’t you been to the gym? Too tired? Too busy? Are you really trying to lose that baby weight? Are those maternity pants? Have you tried going gluten free? Have you tried squats? Don’t you know there’s a pill/wrap/shake/challenge for that?

Our culture is obsessed with the post-baby body. The beach body. The oh-my-gosh-she-doesn’t-even-look-like-she-has-kids body. We need to step back and look at why a dad bod is desirable, but a mom bod can never be good enough.  

I’m not saying that we should all live a sloppy and unkempt life. I’m not saying it would be a great idea to let our gut fly free and “let ourselves go.” When we take care of ourselves, we feel better all around.

However, here’s what I am saying: It’s time to extend some grace to the mom bod. That same grace we give dads when we tell them their dad bod is endearing and attractive. Moms, your bodies are precious for a whole other reason. Your body held a life, and every mark and scar is precious evidence of that. You sustained that life, whether by nursing, snuggling, or a combination of the two.

Your bod is pretty amazing, moms; no matter what shape or size you happen to be.

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Autumn Longmire
I live in La Follette, TN with my husband Luke and our 3 children: Amelia (8), Lincoln (3), and Arthur (newborn). I'm a kindergarten teacher in the public school system and I absolutely love what I do. I'm very passionate about education and the well-being of children all over the world. I like to write about my experiences as both a mother and a teacher. Balancing both is really tricky, and I'm still getting the hang of it. My husband, who I truly believe is the world's best father, is an auctioneer at his family business Longmire Realty & Auction Co. While we love our jobs, we value family time the most. We spend a lot of time outdoors and love to go camping all over the east coast.

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