A negative experience with body shame: from a new perspective.

[Guest Cutecumber]

Hi guys! I wanted to explain something that has bothered me for a long time, specifcally while browsing pinterest and tumblr, and I wanted to open a discussion about what seems to be an unrealized issue with the body-positive movement.

 

Before you freak out on me, no, I am not going to say that people should want to be healthy and that healthy equals beauty. This is about men and women who are considered skinny.

 

A good amount of body-positive pictures or comments or quotes I stumble upon say something along the lines of, "Real women have curves", "Being skinny isn't healthy!", or "Size two is disgusting.."

 

That...doesn't make any sense. Body positivity should rely on saying, "Real women can be whatever size they want to be", "Being 'skinny' is okay and so is being 'fat' but hey while we're at it, lets get rid of those labels.", and "sizez are all cool, body shaming is disgusting."

 

Wake the fuck up people! I'm not saying that thinner women have it worse than thicker women at all. I repeat, I am not saying that at all. But shit, I am tired of being told to eat a few cheeseburgers because I look like a twig in the exact same way that a heavier girl is tired of being told to hit the gym or diet because she has more fat cells. Fuck that.

 

I'm going to be how I want to be, or moreso, how I am. If I decide to put on more pounds? None of your business. If my heavier friend decides to work out and eat healthy and shed some weight? None. Of. Your. Business.

 

Just my thoughts.

 

Cutecumber XoXo

Edited June 7, 2017 by Cutecumber

[minahbird]

I fully approve of this message. I'm 'fat', and I know it. I don't like it, but I've learned to live with it and am starting to love myself with the help of a very lovely person. I don't want to be skinny, because I wouldn't be me, but I don't see how larger women like me can get away with saying, as you worded it, 'size 2 is disgusting'. That's just taking the same hate we get and throwing it in a different direction.

 

In my opinion there is no such thing as ugly, unless it's on the inside. Everyone has something beautiful about them if you take the time to look and really see them. You may even find that the person you would have vilified is hurting just as much as you for a different reason. We need to be positive about all bodies, not just the ones like us.

[BunnyNotKitten]

[Oldwolf]

I'd like to add on to this, that men need body positivity too. No one encourages large guys to be proud of their curves,

[Mintea]

As much as I agree with this, I think I'll also add in that even if you're not attracted to a particular body type, that doesn't mean you need to belittle that particular body type/person just because you aren't attracted to it. And just because someone isn't attracted to you physically, does NOT mean you are not beautiful in your own way.