I am 5’ 10” and I weigh 120 pounds. Yes, I am aware that I’m small. My biggest pet peeve is when people think that just because I weigh practically nothing, I am supposed to be totally and 1000 percent comfortable and happy in my skin. Newsflash: Skinny people don’t have it all together. In fact, not only do skinny people not have it all together, but also they actually need just as much support as people struggling with feeling like their weight is too high. It’s not fair to say any of these phrases to people you consider skinny.
1. “You’re skinny, what do you have to worry about?” If I had a dollar for every time I heard that phrase, I would be a millionaire. I am so sick of the misconception that skinny people automatically love their body. It’s like anyone who doesn’t have a problem with curves is not included in the female population struggling with hating how they look. I hate the way my ribs show through my skin constantly. I hate that when I bend over my spine sticks out like the bumps on the back of a cartoon dinosaur. I hate that if I don’t have time to eat a meal my stomach dips lower than my hips, causing them to jut harshly out. Why is that any different than anyone else’s body issues? Be supportive of anyone feeling though what they have to offer isn’t enough.
2. “You’re trying to gain weight? That’s so easy.” Thank you for mocking my goals. Oh and by the way, it’s so easy for me to lose weight. I would love to see the shock on some people’s faces if I responded that way when they talked down on the weight goals I set for myself. Just because it’s not losing weight doesn’t mean it’s not hard. Everyone has their own battles. For some, it’s losing weight. For some, like me, it’s trying to gain weight. People are praised when their goals are to eat right and be fit. But when I tell people I want to gain weight, they look at me like I’ve just confessed to murder. I want to feel comfortable in my skin, is there something so wrong with that?
3. “You’re so small, eat a cheeseburger.” Least favorite phrase of all. The next time someone tells me to do that to gain weight, I’m going to look them in the eyes and say, “As soon as you eat a salad.” Just the thought of what their face would look like is worth the snarky comment. Why is it fair to tell a skinny person how to reach their goals? You don’t think I try every single day to gain weight? You don’t think that this goal isn’t just hanging over my head every second of every day? Try being supportive instead of condescending, you’d be surprised how far that goes.
4. “Wow, you’re so tiny.” Whenever I get this one, I just always try to imagine a large person’s expression if I said to them, “Wow, you look so fat today.” Like how much would that kill their self-esteem? But it’s considered perfectly OK to say to someone smaller than yourself. Why? Every single time I hear that, I am reminded of how far from my ideal weight I actually am. Skinny people have feelings too. Be respectful and remember that everyone has their own self-esteem battles.
People are beautiful no matter their size. There’s no such thing as too big or too small, but its time that people that are too considered too skinny feel as though their body issues are as important as anyone else’s.
