How to respond to the "you look like a man" comments?

[toosmartforyou01]

Recently found out that extended family have been talking behind my back regarding my how I look now that I have lost weight and am putting on muscle. I should extend the caveat that I do not think I look like a man, while I have a ways to go before I reach my goals, I think I look good as f**k. But I need help coming up with a witty reply to those comments. Honestly I just don't know why what I do to my body is any of their business. Any clever retorts would be greatly appreciated!

 

[shelbyluciano]

@toosmartforyou01 just say do i look like the dad you never had . and if they say their dad dead just say i came back .

 

[questionforatheists]

@toosmartforyou01 Ok so I get comments like these ALLLLL the time! People would say “yOu hAvE a MuStAcHe” or they would say “yOur hAiry liKe a bOy” orrr “yoU nEEd tO sHave” orrrrrrr “yOu lOok LikE a MaN” and I get so tired of it but I snap back faster than you can blink. I would say that’s not my problem that you have insecurities about your body but you can’t put all of them on me. Or you could say, my body is nun of your business. Or, im confident in myself so it doesn’t bother me. Those are just some of the things that i say to shut em up. But again, that is your family so maybe you could think of something a bit more respectful but kinda like the same meaning. They weren’t respectful to you! So why should you be respectful to them?

 

[rjbrown]

@toosmartforyou01 I usually say yea my balls are bigger but you’re the bigger dick.

 

[cornel]

@toosmartforyou01 Just say “that’s not what your dad said last night”

 

[bubblegum2021]

@toosmartforyou01 An important part of a witty retort is the spontaneous act of it. So learning by heart some remarks that may or may not suit the person and context, I don't find that useful at all. Just be yourself and say whatever comes to your mind. A simple "talking about my body bothers me, please stop" or "I really do not care for some third party's opinion on my body" work just as well. Whenever someone comments unasked about my body, that's what I tell them. It's absolutely no one's business. This is something serious and not some stupid joke to have a witty retort to it, in my book. I just dismiss it, full stop.

 

[martinhyers]

@toosmartforyou01 Once you get older you gradually stop giving a shit about people's petty comments. I would say "Great" and carry on my way, and not think about it anymore.

 

[dkimxd]

@toosmartforyou01 "You looked like a nice person. Thanks for clearing that up."

 

[shnn18]

@toosmartforyou01 One time, a dude saw me benching and was like "Be careful! You keep doing that, and you're going to look like me!"

I said, "I hope! You look AWESOME!"

It made his day, and we're pals now.

 

[lorelai]

@toosmartforyou01 I told a guy once at the gym I was going to fuck his girlfriend.

 

[joelgreen30]

@lorelai I've told someone I'd bench their girlfriend

 

[shirleymontreal]

@toosmartforyou01

I do not...look like a man, while I have a ways to go before I reach my goals, I think I look good as f**k.

This seems like a perfectly fine response to me. Especially if you add in

Honestly I just don't know why what I do to my body is any of their business

 

[seeker78]

@toosmartforyou01 Ignore it. Or confront them. Depends on your demeanor. However realize it is jealousy. People see you making progress and looking great and they want to tear you down. I know someone who lost about 100 pounds and wants to lose 20 more but people are saying she is too skinny or looks sick. Not true. However people sometimes get insecure when you decide to better yourself. Instead of me happy for you or changing their life choices they attack you hoping to stop you.

 

[willboom]

@toosmartforyou01 "You look like a rude person."

 

[kalter]

@toosmartforyou01 "You think I look stronger? Excellent! I am!"

 

[shermzee]

@toosmartforyou01 look, if it's coming from family then it's probably not really about you or your body -- it's really about twelve other things that have happened over the last 25 years, some of which you weren't even there for but your mom/dad/auntie/dog were so now they're taking that out on you.

 

[jeff4607]

@toosmartforyou01 Assert your dominance and bite their head off.

 

[ladyjean42]

@toosmartforyou01 I was told I had man shoulders the other day. I smiled and thanked them, and they were visibly uncomfortable.

Hey men have a serious bonus in testosterone. If I'm pulling off man shoulders it means I'm working hard,and I earned every muscle on my body.

 

[michael33]

@ladyjean42 my fiance's "man" shoulders are pretty damn sexy imo. Keep it up, those guys were just jealous.

 

[seutol85]

@toosmartforyou01 "Thanks! That's exactly the look I was going for!" then start flexing, ask them to kiss the guns, squeeze the buns, and make it too weird for them to approach you again.

or the classic:
"Thanks, you too!"