Column: Weight, what did you just say?

Editors note: This article contains mentions of weight and body shaming that could be triggering to some readers. Reader discretion is advised. 

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“I don’t fuck girls over 120.”

He was referring to numerical pounds. As if there’s a scale or something under the empty boxes of Natty Light and dirty sorority formal shirts. And whatever lucky girl comes home with him must meet the weight requirement before hopping under the plaid Target duvet his mother picked out during his first year.

In case you were wondering, no, this is not the caption of a problematic Old Row post. The above quote is from a gentleman my friends met at He’s Not last year. You know, you share a pint with someone and they really think they know you! 

He, of course, was trying to prove to my friends that he would never sleep with any of them. Were any of them clamoring to jump into his arms anyways? Probably not, but this comment definitely settled it.

But I have some very real concerns for this boy. Most notably, making sure he’s ever actually met a real, live human woman (the ones he watches on PornHub every night don’t count). I think I know one person who weighs that much. And let me tell you, regardless of their weight, anyone would be lucky to see any of my friends naked.  

He’s a straight white frat boy, so I’m going to say there’s a good chance he’s in Kenan-Flagler. To everyone reading: don’t let him handle your money! The basic concepts of statistics seem to evade him. The average weight of an American woman is more than forty pounds above his limit, so mathematically, just think of how many opportunities for sex he’s missing out on. Not a numbers guy, apparently.   

Given my height, if I were to weigh 120 pounds I would be concerned for my health. If he's looking at all of the beautiful, amazing women on our campus and wondering if they're 120 pounds, then he's missing the point. Bodies come in all shapes and sizes, and what matters is that we feel healthy and comfortable in our own skin. Whether we meet his misogynistic benchmark or not is irrelevant.

Lastly, besides the fact that 120 pounds is far off from the female average weight, being fat-phobic sucks! Setting any sort of numerical weight limit on the people you sleep with is a.) absurd, b.) super entitled and c.) extremely problematic! 

Whether you are over or under that arbitrary 120-pound threshold, you are equally beautiful and deserving of sexual pleasure.

Writing people off based on quantitative characteristics unrelated to their personality and intangible qualities? Not cool. Sexuality is socially constructed. Our society hates fat. See how this is probably related and not, as you say, “just personal preferences?” 

So, next time you weigh your sexual partner before doing the deed, maybe ask yourself: am I being an asshole?

opinion@dailytarheel.com