My Thoughts On Body Shaming

Body shaming comes in all forms and is not exclusive.  We even tend to body shame ourselves.

There is a huge body positivity movement within the plus sized community.  A community I still feel a part of.  I belonged to it for most of my life.  I wish it was what it is now back when I was in middle school and high school.  I really needed it back then.

That said, I also see a lot of comments from some of those same members against thinner people.  "Real men love curves" or "Only dogs like bones" etc.  LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING: That is body shaming as well.  You are participating in something you claim to be fighting against.  You absolutely can be positive about being plus sized while still allowing others to be thin or fit.

"She needs to go eat a burger or something."  How do you know she hasn't?  How do you know what she eats?  Have you asked this person about their diet? (I use the term diet to refer to what they eat.  That is the proper term for what someone eats on a regular basis).  Most likely not.  I know people who are thin that eat more than enough.  They have problems gaining weight.  That is not a time to insert a sarcastic "oh poor them".  Maybe they wait to gain weight just as much as you want to loose it.  I say that because if you are 100% positive in your body you will only want to lift others up to where you are.  You will not want to shoot them down and you absolutely will not be jealous of them.  So if you are, take the time to reflect about your situation.  Don't worry about other people.  Think about yours.

Now that I have that off my chest, I'm going to continue into something I saw on Instagram today that was really upsetting.

One person I just started following deleted his account because he was receiving upsetting comments.  This person had already lost 213 pounds!!!!  But because he was still 451 pounds, with loose skin, someone felt the need to become a rude ass bitch.  Two hundred and thirteen pounds.  Two hundred and thirteen pounds of dedication and commitment.  Two hundred and thirteen pounds of hard work and some internet asswad decided to say something.

It takes two positive comments to outweigh a negative one.  This is proven in management and I am sure it applies to other aspects of life as well.

I also just read another account where someone who has lost a good amount of weight was called anorexic.  Why?  Because she is thin and looks great?  So aggravating.

YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE SOMEONE IS AT IN THEIR JOURNEY.

That obese person you see may have already lost 213 pounds.  That thin person may be working on building muscle and gaining weight.  Maybe they just had cancer.  Maybe that obese person has a thyroid issue.  Maybe they have a binge eating disorder.  YOU DO NOT KNOW.

Just because someone looks a certain way and you have decided that you don't like it does not give you license to comment on it.  How someone's body is shaped, what they are choosing to wear or not wear.  It is none of your business unless you have something positive to say!  LIFT OTHERS UP.

If you feel so bad about where you are at that you have to say something negative to make yourself feel good you honestly need to think about the fact that negativity certainly isn't going to get you to where you want to be.  Positive thinking goes a long way in all aspects of your life.  So if you're one of these negative internet trolls: I'm here to help when you're ready to change your mindset.  Because everyone needs help sometimes.