Yesterday, Twitter was freaking out over the photos of Jodie Marsh at the Natural Physique Association (NPA) Mike Williams Classic and Pro-Am Bodybuilding Championships.
Jodie, a former glamour model and known for her scandalous outfits and reality TV series, took up body building two years ago, but in the last two months took on a crazy workout regime and diet. Her hardcore daily workout included spending eight hours a day in the gym, and only eating protein, shakes and black tea - no fruit, veg, fat or dairy. (Why live at all, I say...)
While Jodie’s questionable crash diet to prepare for the bodybuilding competitions last week may seem odd, she tells The Sun that this is the most comfortable she’s ever been in her own skin, and that she loves all the attention she’s getting from men.
“For the last two years I went through a complete drought of men. No one was chatting me up. I despaired of ever having a boyfriend, or even a date, again. But since I became a bodybuilder I've suddenly got about 50 guys interested in me."
Well, that’s all that matters then, isn’t it?
But aside from her shocking physique, what shocked me even more were the people on Twitter who were ripping Jodie to shreds. She was the laughing stock of the day, with those who weren’t laughing were voicing “concern”.
“We shouldn’t be laughing,” they tweeted, “She needs to be sectioned. This is a cry for help.”
But as @CarolineKent pointed out, “You didn't find a chest full of plastic weird but your freaking out about muscles? Stuffing your sexual organs full of silicone is fine but building your muscles isn't?”
Indeed.
The world is fine with Jodie going out wearing belts or pasties over her nipples with her entire, bare breasts on display. They’re fine with her making a mockery of herself on television. They’re fine with her getting her kit off or going on Jeremy Kyle because she feels depressed, but when she hits the gym and has a bunch of muscles and is seemingly pretty happy - THEN you freak out and think she needs to be sectioned?!
Look, Jodie Marsh’s diet sounds unhealthy, to me. Doing a crash diet and working out so long that you have a hard time stringing sentences together doesn’t sound normal or enjoyable. And when I read that Jodie has said the following about her body, it makes me sad,
“When I look back at some of the photos of me in my 'heyday' they make me feel physically sick. I look flabby, fat and full of cellulite. I used to loathe my body but now I absolutely adore it.”
I think everyone needs to get a grip and think about their reactions to Jodie Marsh before and after her bodybuilding. Nipple pasties and Page 3 are fine, but muscles are not?! Right.