First things first, I am not a skinny girl. But all of this skinny shaming needs to stop. I’ve been picked on because of my size ever since I was a kid, but I’ve also noticed that ever since the rise of body activism, there has also been a rise in skinny shaming, especially from these so-called body activists. Skinny shamers don’t realize that they are bullying others because of their body type, the same way I was bullied for being overweight.

We all know that fat-shaming is wrong. No one should be disadvantaged or ridiculed for their weight. As someone who is not skinny, I also question why skinny-shaming considered by society to be okay but fat-shaming isn’t. There are a few things that skinny-shamers or any kind of body-shamers need to realize:

1. There is no body-type for "real women"

Real women exist all over the world and they can be very thin or very large. Your physical appearance has zero to do with how “real” of woman you are.

2. Body shaming in any form is cruel and oppressive

Picking on another woman’s body, skinny or fat creates a mentality that nobody will ever be good enough. Women of all body types have been conditioned to feel this way, especially by men, for years and it needs to stop.

3. Skinny girls have insecurities too

Believe it or not, women of all body types can have insecurities about their own body. Just because a woman is thin doesn’t mean she’s in love with her body and doesn’t have any real insecurities.

4. We as women need to stick together

It’s bad enough that we have to deal with men’s opinion on our bodies. Let’s work together instead of slamming any body type that doesn’t look like our own, yeah? We already live in a society where women are still not seen as equals to men; let’s not show our teeth to each other too. We’re on the same team.

5. Teasing, bullying, and any kind of body shaming can often lead to eating disorders

Based on past studies and people I have asked in the past, one of the main causes of their eating disorders is other people body shaming them. So before you tell someone that they need to go “eat a hamburger” or they need to “lose weight,” remember that person may be battling disorders like anorexia or bulimia, both very serious illnesses and can lead to death. I beg of you to be kind to one another.

Just remember that your body type doesn’t define you. The only traits that truly define you are your kindness, open-mindedness, loyalty, etc. Your body should be taken care of because it houses all of those traits. But that shell does NOT define you. Remember that.