I've been tiny my whole life. I'm shorter than most of my friends, no one is the same shoe size as me, and oh, I'm a size 0. Granted, different brands fit differently, but overall I am a very small size. I was a size 0 in the 7th grade and have never really grown out of it (literally). I've always gotten comments about how "stick-thin" I am, and for the most part it doesn't bother me, but the idea behind these comments needs to be addressed.
This came to my attention for what feels like the 100th time in my Sociology class last week. We were discussing gender roles, and the idea that women "have to" starve themselves to be skinny came into the discussion. Before I go any further, I am not writing this to say it is OK to starve yourself nor should women wish to be such a small size. But what if I'm just naturally small? Nobody takes that into consideration, and it's time we start.
Myself, nor the others who are just naturally small-boned and petite, try to be a size 0. I eat pretty unhealthily, but I try to balance it by exercising a few times a week. I just happened to stop growing when I was 13 and haven't grown much sense. Why is this a bad thing? I don't take pride in being small, but I don't find it a negative thing either, as a lot of people talk about it as such. Whenever people talk about women who happen to be around a size 0-5, it's never positive. The terms "twig," "bony," and "stick-thin," eye rolls, and nasty facial expressions get thrown around instead. I've noticed that this is perfectly OK, but yet it isn't OK to use the words "pudgy" or "round" to describe someone who isn't in that size range? Excuse me? It goes both ways. To those of us who are smaller, being called a "twig" is just as bad as "pudgy" or "fat." None of these terms I've mentioned are OK to use to describe anyone, but no one ever thinks that maybe it hurts those who are smaller just as much.
When people make these comments to me, I never know what they expect me to do about it. There comes a point where you just have to except your body and learn to love it, and just because I'm small doesn't mean that came easy. The way people talk about those who happen to be small sizes or weigh less on the scale is that because of this, we must be vain and view ourselves as above everyone else. Who said that was true? I certainly don't think this way, nor do I know anyone who does.
No size is a bad size, and the only important thing is to love and take care of our bodies. Body confidence is crucial to those of all sizes, and every woman should understand that and not shut down someone who is a different size than them.
