Body shaming affects me too.

When the topic of body shaming gets brought up, people tend to think only about those who are overweight because in our generation, that is what has blown up on social media.

However, body shaming affects the overweight, the oddly shaped, the flat-chested, and even the underweight.

I am 5’4”, 100 pounds and have gone through body shaming for as long as I can remember. I was always the smallest in my grade through school and was under constant ridicule for it. The hardest part with confronting it is that no one sees their comments as harsh or hurtful because being skinny is seen as a positive attribute. I was once ridiculed for wearing skinny jeans because I was “only trying to show off how skinny I was.” Persistent remarks telling me to gain weight or eat some food have plagued me my whole life. Because of that, I resorted to wearing loose-fit clothing, such as sweatpants and sweatshirts. This helps to hide how small I am in hopes that no one notices. If no one notices, no one can comment on it.

There are many things that people fail to see are hurtful, and body shaming the underweight is one of them.

Many believe that skinny girls do not have the right to be unhappy with their bodies. But that is not the case. Just because I am skinny, it does not mean that I'm happy. For me, it is actually the exact opposite. I have been told my whole life that I am underweight by doctors, friends, and even the Wii Fit, and I’m not going to lie, it gets old after a while. I would love to gain weight. I see females all the time with body types that I long for. I would love to feel healthy and most of all, look healthy. Whether I am happy or not with my body, that is none of your concern. Something could always be better. I could always have more muscle, your eyes could be closer together, her nose could be smaller, but what you have to say about me, or how guys perceive me, is nothing more than your opinion.

There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to our ability or our efforts to change. I was told just last week that it is easier for me to gain weight than it is for others to lose weight. However, I have tried gaining weight for a long time in many different ways: from going to the gym, eating good fats and foods, and I even resorted to just eating everything I wanted. None of them seemed to work. I know others who have also tried to gain weight who find it just as hard as I do. Sometimes I will gain 5 pounds, and lose it two days later. I do not have control over my metabolism nor do I have control over my build. I am a small person, always have been, and I might always be.

The most hurtful of all are the pictures filling social media laden with the words, “real men want curves” or “bones are for dogs.” Sure, these are meant to help those who are typically shamed feel better, but this is brought at the expense of others. I see these all of the time and begin to question myself. If “real men want curves,” where does that leave me? Should I feel bad about my body just so someone else can feel better about theirs? What does this tell the generation of kids below me? Some peoples’ genetics do not allow them to gain weight or be whatever size they wish to be. Why would we make people feel bad for things they cannot control?

When you judge someone for being small, you have no clue about the route that person took to get to where they are.

Another annoying thing for women like me, are those who question us or tell us how to live our lives.
“Oh my, do you eat?”
“You need to a eat greasy burger?”
“Have you lost weight? You can’t afford that.”
“Can I still see you if you turn sideways?”
I do eat burgers, a lot, and I love steak too. I eat curly fries almost every day. No I haven’t lost weight, but thank you, I know I don’t have a lot to lose. These comments equate to telling an overweight person they can’t afford to gain any more weight. It equates asking them, “do you ever put down the chips,” or, “maybe you should eat a salad.” By putting them side by side, does this begin to show you how hurtful these comments come off to others?

You wouldn't tell someone that they are “just too fat”, would you?

So don’t tell me that I am “just too small.”