Dear shamer,

"Skinny shaming” is the latest way to belittle women for their appearance. Why is this important? Because shaming any woman for her body is wrong.

Oh, you didn't realize that shaming a girl for being thin makes you a body shamer? You think that it is only appropriate to defend bigger girls?

So, what is skinny shaming? You still don't know, shamer? Here are a couple examples for you.

You tell me to "eat a sandwich."

Just because I wear a size 0 in my bottoms does not mean I do not eat. I could probably (personally) out-eat so many people, but I will never gain a pound. Just because people are skinny does not mean they need to overeat. That’s unhealthy too. Having a high metabolism isn’t a sign of unhealthiness. It often shows balance and control in one’s diet. Really, it's just one of the many quirks of my genetic makeup, like having light skin or dark hair.

You tell me that I have an eating disorder.

I cannot express enough how infuriating this comment is. Thousands upon thousands of girls die each year from having an eating disorder, and so much if it stems from the horrible comments they receive about their bodies. The names of eating disorders should not be thrown around, and you should never ask someone in a nonchalant manner if they have one. If I can’t tell you to put the fork down, you can’t tell me I have a disorder that could kill me.

You pretend that you don't have your own flaws.

Don't tell me to clean my doorstep until you check your own. What do I mean by this? Pointing out someone else's flaws makes the person think that they're all alone out there, that they're the only one with these "undesirable" features you pointed out. Have some empathy and self-awareness before you pass judgment on others.

You think my weight defines my appearance.

I get it. Curves are in, stick-people are out. But does that all really matter? Does it make a difference to put me down, just because I don’t fit in with the new status quo? Well, it does not. My weight should not even be a contributing factor to how people see me.

I fully believe that personality should be taken into consideration more than looks when it comes to getting to know people, and I know how cliché it sounds. Does that make it any less important? No. I mean, if we all judged a book by its cover, we could be missing the story of a lifetime. So, shamer, I guess you may be alone for the rest of your life if you continue treating others how you have treated me.

You become the worst kind of person when you prey on someone's self-esteem.

Long story, short: when you shame people, especially for something like their appearance, you look infinitely worse than we will ever feel. Making fun of someone should not be an outlet to feeling better about yourself. Making fun of another woman will not make you stronger. It shows how weak you are. Anytime anyone puts another individual down to feel better about themselves shows a pathetic personality that needs to find inner happiness, rather than feeding off of the sadness of others.

So next time you think someone is too skinny, don’t make fun of them for it. That person could really be struggling with their weight, or they can be extremely self-conscious of it. Either way, making fun of someone or putting them down is unacceptable. Embrace everyone’s differences, because after all, our differences are what make this world so beautiful.

Sincerely,

A girl who was skinny shamed.