This Isn't a Man's Body

This Isn't a Man's Body

I'm unable to accept my body but that's not because of me,
but because of the people around me—starting with my family and my friends, all the way to how society sees me.

I'm thin, or like we say "skinny", and I'm okay with that,
because my body still hasn’t matured yet,
or I haven't taken the decision to hit the gym regularly, so to speak.

The thing is, that as a man in a society like that of Egypt, you need to have a certain body, a certain figure.
And if you don't have it, you start feeling that you're not doing enough, and the nasty comments start.
Because of how my body is, my mother tells me,
"No girl will get attracted to you,"
as if girls only like a guy for his figure.

My dad tells me, "If you get into a fight, you won't be able to do anything, and you'll get beat up."
My friend tells me, "This isn't a man's body!"
and my sister makes fun of me!
I'm going to start going to the gym or I'll take up a sport, but when I do that, I'll be doing it for myself, and not for anyone else.

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