Are female bodybuilding and sessions with strong women popular in your country?

[Makko2]

Hi all!
I am from Italy and I have noticed that, although there are many sections dedicated to Italian fbb lovers pn this forum, there aren't so many Italians taking part to the conversations regarding my own country.
I have posted some questions and observations in my language both recently and in the past, but there aren't many people taking part to conversations. Perhaps because my threads or observations are not so interesting, I know it could be the reason, but I think this couldn't be the only one.
In Italy bodybuilding and female body building aren't so popular in general, and I think that fbb themselves are seen by common people as weird and masculine women still nowadays.
So males who love these athletes can be judged as strange and pervert by "normal" people.
These are probably some of the causes why Italian have some problems also in sharing their opinion here, in anonymous way too.
I kow that sessions theme can be much more controversal, also. Because it could be difficult to admit to be interested in this kind of activities.
Does it happen in your country also?
Is English language still a sort of "neutral dimension" where anyone can express his own opinions without unveil one's own nationality? What do you think about that?
Thanks for yoiur attention.
Bye

[Makko2]

LIVE NOW

Muscular Women Are Live Right Now

Join private chats instantly. Real models. Real-time interaction.

120+ models online now

Start Watching →

[Zenzen]

I think a lot of what you're describing isn't unique to Italy.

In most countries, female bodybuilding is a very niche interest. Even among people who follow fitness, bodybuilding, or strength sports, the number who actively follow female bodybuilding is relatively small. Once you get into discussions about sessions, muscle worship, or strength-related fantasies, the audience becomes even more specialized.

From what I've seen, many fans simply prefer to read rather than post. Forums often have far more lurkers than active contributors. So a lack of replies doesn't necessarily mean there aren't people from your country reading the discussion.

I also agree that muscular women are still viewed differently by mainstream society in many places. The reaction varies by country and culture, but it's not uncommon for female bodybuilders to be seen as outside conventional beauty standards. That can make fans reluctant to discuss their interest openly, even when they're posting anonymously.

As for English, I think it does serve as a kind of neutral meeting ground. When everyone is communicating in a shared language, national differences become less important and people tend to focus more on the common interest that brought them together. On an international forum like this, you're often talking to people from dozens of different countries without even thinking about it.

Personally, I find it interesting to hear how female bodybuilding and muscle culture are perceived in different parts of the world. Sometimes we assume our local experience is universal when it really isn't.

I'm curious what members from other countries think. Is female bodybuilding relatively accepted where you live, or is it still considered a very unusual interest?

[Makko2]

Hi Zenzen,
I have already read other answers by you to my posts in other threads of this forum and I have to say that you seem to be really conscious about all the many dimentions of female bodybuilding fanbase.
Your clever answers have made me thinking that my questions were not so stupid, after all. So thank you a lot, first of all!
As you say, the bigger part of members of this forum are more active as readers than as writers. I am among them too. I usually write very few posts and I really envy people that have always to narrate about fantastic sessions or have their own opinions about all the things involving our passion of female bodybuilders. Only during these last days I decided to share some of my dreams and couriosities, and perhaps my expectations about the members' response of my posts were too high.
About your questions on countries were bodybuilding and female bodybuilding are popular and more mainstream, I have ever thought that USA, but also Russia and Eastern Europe have a very strong tradition about this kind of sport. Also Brasil seems to have a model of female beauty were muscles are not considered a wrong or weird choice for an armonic and feminine body.  In Europe, perhaps Germany and northern countries seems to have many and appreciate athletes and models that have no problem to follow their passion and share it to their fanbase.
But mine could be only bias and stereotypes about different nations from mine, so I hope many other people from different countries will share their opinions and experiences about this matter.
I hope to have more occasion to share opinion about many other issues about fbb.
Thanks again to you and thanks to all.
Bye!

[Nahuel-H]

I think something very similar happens here in Argentina.
Female bodybuilding and very muscular women are still a very niche interest. In general, people can admire fitness, a "toned" body, or a beautiful athletic woman, but when the woman becomes truly muscular, powerful, and visibly strong, many people still react with prejudice. They may say she looks "too masculine" or "too extreme", and that also creates pressure on the men who admire them.
I am 54 years old and I have been attracted to muscular and athletic women since my adolescence. So I understand very well what you are saying. For many years this was something you almost had to enjoy quietly, because society did not always understand it. People could judge the women, and they could also judge the men who admired them.
Here in Argentina, I think there are fans, of course, but many probably prefer to remain silent. Not necessarily because they are ashamed, but because the subject is still misunderstood. The world has changed a lot thanks to the internet, social media, YouTube, Insta****, TikTok, and forums like this one, but the old prejudices are still there.
About English, yes, I think it works like a neutral territory. When we write in English, it feels less local, less personal, and maybe safer. It allows people from different countries to participate without feeling so exposed as "the guy from Italy", "the guy from Argentina", or "the guy from somewhere else". English creates a kind of international room where we can talk more freely.
In my opinion, the love for female bodybuilding is more common than people admit. Many men admire strong, muscular women, but not all feel comfortable saying it openly. That is why these forums are important: they give us a place to speak honestly, respectfully, and without shame about something that has been part of our lives for many years.



Creo que acá en Argentina pasa algo muy parecido.
El culturismo femenino y las mujeres muy musculosas siguen siendo un gusto bastante de nicho. En general, mucha gente puede admirar el fitness, un cuerpo "tonificado" o una mujer atlética y bella, pero cuando esa mujer se vuelve realmente musculosa, poderosa y visiblemente fuerte, todavía aparecen muchos prejuicios. Algunos dicen que se ve "demasiado masculina" o "demasiado extrema", y eso también genera presión sobre los hombres que las admiramos.
Yo tengo 54 años y me atraen las mujeres musculosas y atléticas desde mi adolescencia. Por eso entiendo muy bien lo que planteás. Durante muchos años fue algo que casi había que disfrutar en silencio, porque la sociedad no siempre lo entendía. Se juzgaba a las mujeres musculosas, pero también se juzgaba a los hombres que las admiraban.
En Argentina creo que hay fans, por supuesto, pero muchos probablemente prefieren no hablar demasiado del tema. No necesariamente por vergüenza, sino porque todavía es un gusto muy mal entendido. El mundo cambió mucho gracias a internet, las redes sociales, YouTube, Insta****, TikTok y foros como este, pero los viejos prejuicios siguen existiendo.
Sobre el idioma inglés, sí, creo que funciona como una especie de territorio neutral. Cuando escribimos en inglés, se siente menos local, menos personal y quizás más seguro. Permite que personas de distintos países participen sin sentirse tan expuestas como "el italiano", "el argentino" o "el de tal país". El inglés crea una especie de sala internacional donde se puede hablar con más libertad.
En mi opinión, la admiración por el culturismo femenino es más común de lo que muchos reconocen. Hay muchos hombres que admiran a las mujeres fuertes y musculosas, pero no todos se sienten cómodos diciéndolo abiertamente. Por eso estos foros son importantes: nos dan un lugar para hablar con honestidad, respeto y sin vergüenza sobre algo que forma parte de nuestras vidas desde hace muchos años.

[nexor]

nope, im from venezuela and here a lot of people still have the medieval idea that if a woman even touches a weight in the gym she will instantly turn into a man, it has started to change thanks to some popular influencers/celebrities (sasha fitness-michelle lewin) but for most of the population a woman that goes to the gym and has defined muscles is not feminine, let alone fbbs

[knufflschmoe]

Here in austria,despite of the origin of Arnold, FBB is still in a niche corner,not really present in public ,and if it is,often only in connection with negative aspects
(Bigorexia,steroid abuse)
But obviously,also here,more & more women are training seriousy in the gyms....
Don't know clearly what's upin austria,but in the nearby germany ,
Going to sessions,is really booming......!