One of the many movements that I see taking place in 2016 is the fight against body shamers. With people fighting for others to be comfortable in their bodies comes haters that are attempting to put these overweight people to shame. But, what these body shamers continuously seem to not comprehend is, there is a difference between encouraging unhealthy behaviors and advising one to love himself or herself as they are.
Under Instagram pictures, I see people encouraging women who would be labeled in society as “Plus Size,” “fat,” “obese” and “overweight,” to not worry what others think. And, I agree completely. No matter what the motives may be, it is not okay for people to police other’s bodies. Telling someone what they should look like is not encouraging nor does it make him or her feel any better about themselves. Actually, the effect is the opposite. So, does telling an overweight person to love themselves encourage unhealthy habits? Absolutely not. The “stop body shaming” movement wants women and men to feel comfortable in their own skin and body. They are not saying “go out to McDonald’s and order the whole menu.” But it says you don't have to be a size 0 in order to be beautiful because overweight does not equal ugly. It says that you shouldn't be ashamed of wearing a bathing suit or shorts in summer because you deserve to dress the way you please without being criticized or made to feel uncomfortable. This does not sound like encouraging unhealthy habits to me.
Body shamers often say that “stop body shaming” is an excuse for overweight people to not lose weight. Well, wrong again. I've been on the road to becoming a healthier me for some time now. Does that mean I can't love myself until I make it to my health/weight goals? That doesn't seem fair that I have to beat myself up until I fit society’s standards of beauty. This movement encourages people to love themselves regardless of if they are on the road to lose weight or not. Again, it doesn't state that people should not be healthy or want to become healthier versions of themselves. And, body shaming isn't just for those of us who are considered bigger. Body shaming goes for all shapes and sizes. A thinner female’s body shouldn't be policed any less or more than a bigger female’s body. Saying “you're too skinny” is just as horrible as saying “you’re too fat.”
We don't want to encourage bad eating and/or exercise habits nor are we what some call “fat enablers.” We simply encourage being healthy mentally before taking steps to doing anything else. Just because one loses weight doesn't mean they’ll be happy afterwards (I am living proof). So, I plead to body shamers, please, think before shaming. You never know what that person is going through. You could be adding to his or her stress. You could also be making his or her habits worse. People often stress eat. Thus, if you're body shaming you're most likely adding to the shaming that one does to their own body.
And finally, people often think body shaming will encourage one to want to lose weight. Wrong again. It usually has a negative effect (yes, it may have worked for one person, but it typically brings negative outcomes). One may experience depression, contemplate suicide, or consider losing weight in unhealthy manners. Again, I ask you again to consider the mental health you could be ruining before you consider body shaming. Big or small, it is not okay to police the temple that others live in.
