The truth behind being a size 0: Having been skinny my entire life, I can tell you it is not everything it is cracked up to be. First of all, you are treated differently at school. I mean, have you ever noticed how easily a skinny person can fit in a locker? Besides that, why tell somebody to move or just a simple excuse me when you can simply pick them up and move them yourself. “You only weigh like 90 pounds, it’s easier.”

Just being picked up in general, it’s a thing, you get used to it. (This is not all bad, especially when you’re on crutches and people offer to carry you instead of watching you wobble). Besides that, just accidentally walking into something can hurt 10 times worse. That layer of skin between my hip bone and the world has undergone a lot of damage over the years. When a skinny girl sits for too long, her butt will be sore because it hurts our butt bones.

Eating is a totally different reality for a skinny person. Out metabolism is so high we eat like six meals a day, it seems. Not only that, but when we eat with somebody new, we always get the “you can’t eat all of that! You’re so skinny!” and waitresses/waiters always seem to think they need to explain to me how much food is coming with our order. Just because we are skinny does not mean we are in shape. A high metabolism will keep you skinny even if you do not work out, even if you cannot run a full mile without stopping. Please do not assume I am a star athlete because I “look” fit.

Unfortunately, going to the doctor is part of life for all of us. Going as a skinny person adds a new type of stress. New doctors will ask what seems like 100 questions wondering our eating habits and whether or not we’re bulimic or anorexic. We then will get lectured on how we need to gain like three pounds to get our BMI in a healthy range... three pounds.

The worst part about being skinny, though, is how much others shame it. Society has such different reactions to these two phrases “you’re so skinny” and “you’re fat.” Being told we’re skinny is not something we enjoy... At all. It is never meant as a compliment. These phrases are both just judging somebody else’s body, but one is accepted by society and one is not. Nobody is perfect, accept it people.

I am sure you’ve all seen the phrase “real women have curves” circulating the internet. Skinny people are still real, not plastic Barbie dolls and we still struggle with body image just like every other human being. Being skinny is not bad, being any weight is not bad; let’s stop trying for an “ideal” that is not an ideal, but rather just another form of imperfect. Love and accept who you are, and stop putting others down.