Be.yourself

Do You Body Shame?

You might bodyshame without even realizing. In this blog article, I want to address anybody who finds themselves saying or doing things that could hurt or offend others.

All types of body shaming are awful, but in this post I want to focus on fat shaming. I know that many of those who are contrary to body shaming can make mistakes, considering we live in a society that encourages us to judge individuals based on their body size and appearance.

Many individuals that criticize overweight people, may argue that body fat is harmful as a justification for their cruel comments. This information, however, is not always correct. People can be overweight and still being healthy. A recent study I read revealed that fat cells can support your body to fight numerous infections. They discovered this immune cell called “Memory T” in animal experiments that kills diseases when exposed to pathogens. Of course, being excessively overweight causes plenty of troubles, but we should honor those tummies that we’re all so embarrassed to show.

Another thing I frequently see is people congratulating overweight individuals on losing weight, as if their previous body shape was abnormal and inadequate. Compliments are wonderful, but please be mindful of the words you use. I’ve encountered a lot of people who are affected by these simple issues. Especially among young females. With all of the media criticism, embracing our own appearance has become incredibly hard in this generation, and someone who is unhappy with their own physique might easily fall into depression and avoid social situations. A common comment I hear, even between my friends, is that an overweight girl’s outfits are too colorful and inappropriate for her body type. People who have body fat should only wear black because it is slimming? These statements are filled with so much cruelty. I realize that it is frequent to say things in a lighthearted way, but it is also incredibly sad to do so.

The body positivity movement is always growing, which is something we should be proud of. The problem is that the term “fat” is too often used as a derogatory term.

As much as the media is full with upsetting statements, criticism, and other forms of negativity, you will occasionally come across body positivity celebrations. When I was scrolling through my instagram account the other day, I came across a post from a mother that made me happy. She described how her daughter reacted to body shaming comments. They told her she was fat, and she replied that she wasn’t fat, but she HAD fat, and that was OK.It is important to teach these lessons to children since there will always be people who do not want to learn how to respect others. The key thing is that we are aware of how beautiful our bodies are, regardless of the shape or type.