Walking back from my Economics lesson, I over heard a girl telling her friend that girls our age *I'm 18* are supposed to weigh 50kgs.... as someone who doesn't way anything close to that, I cautiously approached her and started asking how that can possibly make sense if our bodies aren't similar to each other.
Now there's absolutely nothing wrong with being healthy, but as someone who has struggled with her body image for more than half her life, I can't help but raise a big fucking middle finger to society and here's why....
When we focus only on body shape, we become blinded to other factors that might be contributing. Genetics plays a huge role. You can't change the colour of your eyes just like you can't change your height. Chronic illnesses affect body shape as well. Why should we shame a 'skinny' girl who eats well and exercises but whose body is fighting itself due to a chronic disease? Or a 'fat' girl who could be battling a hormonal imbalance? Before labelling and shaming, people should look a little deeper than the exterior. You just don't know what people are fighting.
A lot of the time, body shaming occurs with people who are "overweight". Like there's a certain goal weight we're all supposed to be, and we're all supposed to fit inside these boxes that society and the media created for us. Thanks. Just say that you see a girl with an amazing sense of style and she has this great vibe, and she's rocking an amazing crop top and skirt combo, but she's a little bigger than most girls. Why do you judge? Are you jealous of her because she doesn't care what all those other bitches think? Are you intimidated? No? Then leave her alone.
The other side of shaming is skinny shaming. I think this happens just as much as shaming someone for being bigger. How often do you hear someone say, "give that girl a sandwich" or "she needs a good feed." Everyone says they want the "perfect" body and have so many body goals, but when a girl is just that bit too skinny in your eyes, she gets judged.
There is so much more to life than having the "perfect body". Every young person needs to understand that. Go travelling, learn about different cultures, be happy, fall in love and don't give a fuck about what people think. If your main goal in life is to be someone's 'body goals,' you need to reconsider your attitude.
Instead of tearing each other down, we should be praising each other. I know it sounds cheesy to tell people they look beautiful today or that their hair is really nice, but wouldn't you feel better if you got a nice compliment a day? Spread the love.
Body shaming is destroying females of all ages; it's forcing them into thinking that they need to look a certain way to be beautiful. Remember that people can change. I know that my views changed when I realised how much I was shaming other women without even realising it. Just be fucking nice to each other and love yourself. There's enough shit to deal with in the world without adding body shaming onto the pile. You're all wonderful, and don't forget it!
Oh and the next time someone calls you fat, feel free to disagree, because where as you may eat fat, and your body might have a large percentage of fat, you yourself are not a oily and greasy molecule.
OR OWN IT! Take power away from words like fat and skinny... feel free to say " Yes, I'm tall too, and a girl and a human and a total badass, suck my clit mothafuka"
YOU ARE READING
Feminist AF!
Humor" and I will raise my daughters to believe that they can breath fire" See for yourself why so many of us are proud to be called feminists. I'll make even the strongest none believers pause and think.
