Posted
Body type revision proposal - Split between build and body shape
Update: Thanks for the feedback so far. Based on your comments, we’ve dropped “Apple” (it overlapped with the Chubby/BBW builds) and switched to neutral shape names instead of fruit. Body shape will also be optional.
Revising the body types has been on our to-do list for a long time. Several ideas on this topic have been posted here, some of which have received many votes. Our goal is a solution that covers all these requests and is less ambiguous, so there is less discussion about which type fits best.
Most suggestions mix two different things: how much muscle and fat someone carries, and where it sits. So we want to split the current body type into two fields: build and body shape. The current "body type" field would be renamed to "build".
Build: how much muscle and fat she carries. Its six values stay as they are: Slim, Athletic, Muscular, Average, Chubby, BBW. Nothing on existing profiles changes.
Body shape: how her bust, waist and hips compare. This is a new field, and any build can have any shape.
- Hourglass (curvy): bust and hips about equal, clearly narrower waist.
- Triangle (curvy): hips wider than bust and shoulders, with a defined waist. Also called pear.
- Straight: no defined waist; waist about as wide as bust and hips, or wider. Also called rectangle or boyish.
- Inverted triangle: shoulders and bust wider than hips.
We think this answers the open questions:
- Thicc / thick = Average or Chubby build + Hourglass or Triangle shape.
- Boyish = Slim build + Straight shape.
- Fit and curvy = Slim or Athletic build + Hourglass or Triangle shape.
- The curvy request gets its own label (split into hourglass & triangle shapes), without arguing over whether she's Average or Chubby.
- "Where does curvy end and fat begin?" stops being a question: curviness is shape, fat is build (Chubby/BBW).
- Petite is about height rather than body type, and the site already has a Petite Top 100.
We also want to make the biography editor smarter by using the data a profile already has to guide editors. These are suggestions only; the editor still decides:
- Build, for a model with a BMI of 21.7: "Her height and weight usually mean Slim, Athletic or Average." Muscle weighs more than fat, so photos still decide.
- Body shape, for a model with measurements 33-25-38: "Her measurements suggest: Triangle."
Each option will get a short description and a silhouette sketch in the editor to reduce ambiguity and discussion.
Body shape will start empty on every profile, so we'll need your help filling it in.
Please vote and let us know your thoughts. If it gets the thumbs up from most of you, we'll add this soon.
Revising the body types has been on our to-do list for a long time. Several ideas on this topic have been posted here, some of which have received many votes. Our goal is a solution that covers all these requests and is less ambiguous, so there is less discussion about which type fits best.
Most suggestions mix two different things: how much muscle and fat someone carries, and where it sits. So we want to split the current body type into two fields: build and body shape. The current "body type" field would be renamed to "build".
Build: how much muscle and fat she carries. Its six values stay as they are: Slim, Athletic, Muscular, Average, Chubby, BBW. Nothing on existing profiles changes.
Body shape: how her bust, waist and hips compare. This is a new field, and any build can have any shape.
- Hourglass (curvy): bust and hips about equal, clearly narrower waist.
- Triangle (curvy): hips wider than bust and shoulders, with a defined waist. Also called pear.
- Straight: no defined waist; waist about as wide as bust and hips, or wider. Also called rectangle or boyish.
- Inverted triangle: shoulders and bust wider than hips.
We think this answers the open questions:
- Thicc / thick = Average or Chubby build + Hourglass or Triangle shape.
- Boyish = Slim build + Straight shape.
- Fit and curvy = Slim or Athletic build + Hourglass or Triangle shape.
- The curvy request gets its own label (split into hourglass & triangle shapes), without arguing over whether she's Average or Chubby.
- "Where does curvy end and fat begin?" stops being a question: curviness is shape, fat is build (Chubby/BBW).
- Petite is about height rather than body type, and the site already has a Petite Top 100.
We also want to make the biography editor smarter by using the data a profile already has to guide editors. These are suggestions only; the editor still decides:
- Build, for a model with a BMI of 21.7: "Her height and weight usually mean Slim, Athletic or Average." Muscle weighs more than fat, so photos still decide.
- Body shape, for a model with measurements 33-25-38: "Her measurements suggest: Triangle."
Each option will get a short description and a silhouette sketch in the editor to reduce ambiguity and discussion.
Body shape will start empty on every profile, so we'll need your help filling it in.
Please vote and let us know your thoughts. If it gets the thumbs up from most of you, we'll add this soon.
Comments (13)
🔹 The BMI folks spring to mind, but really, how would poor schlubs like me have been expected to calculate BMI anyway?
By adding a description and/or a graphical guide and letting the biography editor propose values based on BMI and measurements, we think we can make it less complicated than it is now.
And this is not just me. Many health experts have said the same.
BMI 17: "usually Slim"
BMI 21.7: “usually Slim, Athletic or Average”
BMI 31: “usually Chubby, BBW or Muscular”
And it's just a hint that's presented. The user always decides from the photos; the hint never selects or blocks anything.
@Nyarlathotep and @REDLILI, you voted down. Can you clarify why?
Furthermore, the terms Apple and Pear are rather demeaning. If I were a woman and saw such a label associated with me, I would likely insist to have my profile taken down.
As for apples and pears, I suppose apple is the bigger problem here. What would be a suitable alternative? We could drop it and change pear to triangle.
I voted down because i think this just unnecessary complicates things.
The only issue here stems from the fact that some people find it insulting when it says Average, Chubby, etc. on their favorites.
Seriously? Chubby is understandable but how the heck is Average insulting... ?