Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
placeholder article
placeholder article

Opinion: Dad Bods Are Super Hot

Addison Reich
Kaylee Giacomini
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Delaware chapter.

Have you ever wondered why you aren’t attracted to big, buff, manly-men?

While your friends may brag and boast about their boyfriend’s eight-pack, there’s no harm in being turned off by that kind of physique.

Personally, I date a squishy, teddy-bear of a man and I could not be happier. Below are five reasons why you should embrace the dad bod!

1. When they hug you, you are being engulfed by a protective blanket of flub and warmth. Those jacked jocks don’t have an ounce of fat that can give you the warmth you need. Imagine being snuggled up with a nice warm Dad bod at night! (In a totally non-creepy way.)

2. Ok ladies, we are all beautiful and our bodies are holy temples worthy of worship, but I still don’t have the perfect body that I would like. Therefore, I don’t want my boyfriend having a better body than me! As selfish as it all sounds, let’s face it: we should be the center of attention.

3. As far as approaching a man, I don’t know about you, but I sure can do it more easily when I don’t feel like a couch potato. That is why approaching someone who isn’t a gym rat is so much less intimidating and can definitely boost my own self confidence. I’m not saying to go after a lazy man, but definitely find someone who doesn’t grunt like he’s giving birth in the weight room.

4. Who better to date and see a future raising kids with than someone who already looks like a dad? We are most definitely primal creatures, always instinctively searching for our perfect mate. Psychologically, there is always a maternal instinct that only wants the best for our future kids (if you want kids, that is). The best thing for them is a great dad, and one of the best indicators of that is a perfect dad body!

5. Lastly, the biggest, most controversial reason why women like me think dad bods are hot is our unavoidable daddy issues. Admit it, you have them, whether it’s because you feel like a complete failure next to your superstar sibling or the product of an MIA dad, we all probably have some sort of beef with our fathers. Therefore, we go after what we want to replace or what we do not have. Dad bods means stability to us.

So, next time you see yourself on the prowl for a man, remember: Do I want a self- obsessed muscle man or warm snuggles and stability?

Addison Reich is a lively, fun and energetic girl of 21 years old. She is a Junior Psychology major with a Minor in Health & Wellness at the University of Delaware. Ad started as Udel's junior editor, but has since worked her way to becoming their Co-CC! Addison loves to write articles about personal experience and opinion. She transferred from a different university in the fall of her sophomore year, leaving behind a volleyball scholarship, but not her passion for sports, as she is working on becoming a sports psychologist. She also loves hunting, singing and Taylor Swift. If you notice, it's her token to add a picture of Swift in every header of her articles. Keep on the lookout for the next one!
Kaylee is the former President and Editor in Chief for Her Campus at the University of Delaware. She held this title from 2017-2020 and wrote for Penn State's chapter as a contributor prior to this. Now a proud UD class of 2020 alum (B.A. in Public Policy and Writing), Kaylee is completing her Masters in Public Health. Aside from writing, Kaylee was involved in many activities as an undergrad. She wrote for three college publications, was a Blue Hen Ambassador tour guide, worked as a Starbucks barista, and was the Director of Operations for the Model United Nations at UD.