Many people believe that skinny girls have no room to complain about their bodies because we fit “societal standards.” To me, everyone is beautiful; I don’t care what size you wear. Society’s standards are ones people use to justify diets that nearly starve them, or use other methods to lose weight that are almost deadly. Being naturally skinny is something I cannot help; God made me the way that I am. I have tried to put on weight, but it doesn’t work. However, while I’m pretty secure in who I am and my body, there are still some things I am sick and tired of people saying because they think it’s okay. Just because people are skinny does not mean they are not insecure, or that you can say these things. So please, just watch when you say them.
1. “You need to eat more.”
If you only knew how much I eat. Yes, I can go a long time without eating and be okay, but when I do eat, I normally eat a lot, and I snack throughout the day. Most people do, but if you want to really irk someone’s nerves, tell her she needs to eat more. Many people are naturally this way, and eating more will not make us gain weight.
2. “You don’t have cellulite. Quit complaining.”
Yes, yes I do. Cellulite is a very real thing. Many people have cellulite, doesn’t matter what size they are. Even athletes have cellulite, so please, stop saying that because someone is skinny does not mean they don’t have cellulite, and they’re not allowed to talk about it.
3. When working out: “Oh my gosh, why are you breathing so hard? You’re tiny, you should be in shape.”
I get this when I work out. People think if you’re skinny that you’re obviously in shape. No, I am far from it actually. A lot of skinny girls are. Some girls are in shape, but this girl, nope.
4.“Your wrists are so tiny!”
Yes, I know that. We all know that. Can we move on please?
5. “Nobody likes to cuddle with a bag of bones.”
Luckily, nobody has ever said this to me, but it’s something I’ve read in comments on Facebook, and Meghan Trainor talked about something like it in her song “All About That Bass.” Don’t get me wrong, I love that song, but it’s still bothersome. Saying nobody likes to cuddle with a bag of bones is so offensive. Most people who are skinny are naturally that way. Just as some people are naturally bigger. There is nothing wrong with that; as I said before, everyone is beautiful in their own way, but also, everybody has their own preferences. And, I promise you, people do like to cuddle with that “bag of bones” you were degrading in your comment.
6. “Must be nice to be skinny, you can wear anything.”
Nope, if you’re naturally petite like me, finding dresses or rompers is the struggle. Most of them are too baggy or the torsos are too long. Or, they’re just too long in general. Also, the struggle to find pants is real because if you’re like me, you have hips. So small waist, bigger hips, not the best combination to find pants that fit. You either suffocate in a too small pair to fit your waist, or it fits in the hips, but you could literally fit a stuffed animal in the gap between your pants and waistline.
7. “You can’t complain; you’re skinny.”
Yes, yes I can. Everyone has their insecurities, and yes, I do have some, one being cellulite and stretch marks. Being small as a child, and becoming an adult means putting on weight pretty fast in a short amount of time resulted in stretch marks and cellulite. So yes, just like anyone else, I am allowed to complain.
8. This is more of a personal one, but having any medical condition that causes weight loss. For me, it’s “You have hyperthyroidism? That’s why you’re so skinny.”
PLEASE, do not say that. No, that is not why. Yes, it is a symptom. No, I do not have that particular symptom, so you just made yourself look like a fool. Some people actually are skinny due to medical conditions, but do not point that out. Every person out there is fighting a battle you don’t know about. For the people who are this way due to a medical condition does not give you the right to point it out.
9.“Do you have an eating disorder?”
This is just a big no. Do not ever say this to ANYBODY, regardless of weight. Eating disorders are no joke, and people who actually have them probably don’t like you making light of them. It is a very real thing, and it’s never okay to just outright ask someone that. If they want to talk about it, they will tell you. But, assuming someone who is skinny has one is just wrong.
So, please, never say any of these things to a skinny girl. Just like many of us would never say anything about someone else’s weight. There are some skinny girls who bully others who don’t fit those ridiculous skinny standards, hence why I used Mean Girls as my cover photo to represent this.This is not okay; you should never have a snarky comment about someone else's body, because you do not know the battle that person is facing whether it be insecurities about their weight or something totally different. That goes for everyone. You should build people up, not tear them down. As I said before, and I’ll say it again, everyone is beautiful in their own way, and why fit society’s standards? Everybody has their insecurities, but remember: You are unique. You are beautiful. Don’t follow what someone else tells you you should look like, because you are who you are. Do what makes you happy. If you feel good in the skin you're in, rock it, girl.
