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Notes -
I think this might be closer to the key. I'll (partially) be your internet rando with a penis, I'm not especially fit but I exercise and am not overweight and often get shit from my slightly to very overweight male co-workers for not eating or drinking more.
However, I also don't put much weight on what they say about such things so it has never become an issue.
I could definitely see someone who did care what they thought being negatively impacted, to your point.
Edit: FWIW, never had that issue about weight with male peers as a kid and I never encountered crab bucket mentality about academics either, though some of my nerdy male friends who went to worse schools have mentioned getting shit for being in AP classes. They also were not strongly impacted by such statements.
or GATE is more anti-intellectual or just regular nerd bullying.
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