Body shaming hurts. Yes! I know you are saying it really does hurt, but I hope you know you can be doing this every day at home, workplace, among friends without actually realizing it. It may seem like an appealing joke, a piece of advice, or even a compliment, but then it affects someone’s self-esteem and causes significant harm. People are actually suffering from many of these body-shaming acts we do, and we can learn to stop doing this by reading this post.
Here are 7 body-shaming acts we do without knowing sometimes:
1. Complimentary Comments
The reverse may be the case when we are trying to impress someone. “You look slimmer and beautiful in that dress” seems like a compliment to a fat person, but then the person implies that ‘slim’ equals ‘beautiful’ and being ‘fat’ is bad. This is without doubt, a subtle way of body shaming.
2. Non-verbal Expressions
We may not alter a word but still hurt someone. Our body language and facial expressions can be body shaming to others, staring in an awful way to a slim person who is exercising, It passes a negative message to that person as though the person is wasting their time and has no weight to lose. This, too, is body shaming.
3. Deliberate Actions
When we do not think before we act, we may end up body shaming someone. Avoid being in a team or working with a particular kind of person because of their body shape, type, or size is body shaming. Also, exploiting someone because of their body shape or size is body shaming.
4. Unsolicited advice
If someone does not ask for advice, do not give one. When you tell a fat person to cut down on eating or a slim person to eat more without their request for such advice, you are body shaming. Do not imply that being beautiful is attached to a particular body size because you are wrong.
5. Comparisons
Comparing the body shape and type between siblings or friends as though one is better than the other is body shaming. Nobody shape is better or more beautiful than another.
6. Comments from Partner and Family
Family members give negative and irrelevant comments among themselves about their body size as though it is rightful and natural to do so. Emotional abuse in a relationship begins with negative and unnecessary comments about the partner’s body shape or size. These events are, no doubt, body shaming.
7. Supposed Jokes
Jokes about how much energy one needs to lift a fat person or how effortless it is to lift a slim person are body shaming. Any joke about someone’s body shape or size is needless, body shaming, and obviously boring.
What now…
Body shaming can be unintentional but still damaging. We, therefore, need to be sensitive to people’s feelings. Nobody has the right to make anyone feel less important or worthless because of their body. People are different, and so are bodies. Nothing should underrate how beautiful you are.
Sharing is Caring.
Much Love
Kim x
