Realities of Body-Shaming on Social Media
Do you often ever stop to think we have been told by people to change our appearances? how we have continuously been told “you need to lose weight, “You are too fat," you sweat that way because of your size," or "That belly fat isn’t good for you," sometimes without even knowing us and how hateful their comments are, and its impact on us?
Body shaming has moved from face-to-face to social media. Strange people behind their computers, laptops, or phones, dictating how people should look like. Social media, created as a medium for communication, trade, and socialization has been used as a tool to body shame people, especially young girls and women. Since it gives everyone the right to write how they feel, some have decided to make it toxic for others with their hateful comments on people's posts and private chats. When asked the reason for such, most say they are just “joking" or it's just an opinion that must not be taken seriously using a sarcastic picture image fondly called “emojis.”
Family members, friends, classmates, teachers, and loved ones tend to body shame too. Some people result to criticizing people’s appearances when they are in an argument with them. A friend once told me that she was called a "pig" in school by her friends because she was fat. Even messages face to face and media imply we should be slimmer with comments like "you would look more beautiful if you lose weight,” "do your thighs even separate,” and "fat and flat.” What is trending now on Facebook is the quote that states "Girls with flat butts won't be receiving any gift for valentine"
Or should we talk about how we are being mocked and yelled at on the street because of our size and shape? For decades society has pushed unrealistic images of how a woman's body should look and using social media to make matters worse. Placing women on figure eight with soft skin and no muscle and so when a woman has got one she is being bullied. Such hateful comments have caused these victims to go into dieting just to fit in, consequently causing eating disorders, depression, attempted suicide, low self-esteem, fear, anxiety, and muscle dysmorphia. We turn to be reserved with no acquaintances, trying to live in our world because of fear of being rejected. We have let that hate get to us until we result to hating our skin even taking photos becomes scary.
Wondering why your sister got an eating disorder? Or why your brother is scared of socializing? The answer is in front of you. However, the most important of them all is how to go about helping them. How do we overcome Body shaming? How can we push for a world free of vicious judgment and hateful criticisms?
Dr. Steve Manabot once said, "when you judge a woman by her appearance, it doesn't define her. It defines you.” It says a lot about your insecurities and you are trying to pass it on to another person instead of building yourself.
Learn to love and appreciate yourself. The best approach towards this is, standing in front of your mirror every day and telling yourself, you are beautiful because you are. No one can ever be you. You are neither a mistake nor a problem to be solved. However, you can't discover that until you stop smashing your head against the wall of shaming, caging, and fearing.
Go for therapy if you need to. Eat healthily and create a healthy space for yourself on social media and most importantly, learning to speak up for yourself is a powerful act of self-love. Remember when a woman stands up for herself against something without knowing or claiming it, she stands up for everyone going through the same predicament.
The battle to end body shaming otherwise known as fat shaming starts with us all at home. Before you use social media to fat shame, someone, ask yourself this question "could my time be better spent on building myself or driving positive change in my community?” Who gave you the right to dictate how people should look or how would my loved ones and I feel, if we are being bullied in such a manner? Everyone can't be the same because if this was the case, God would have created everyone the same, but our differences make us special and that is what we should learn to appreciate in everyone around us. Empathy is of great importance to our day-to-day life. Once we learn to love and accept people for who they are, the world would be a better place void of hate and bullying.
Pechuqui Laurata
Comments