Working in the health and fitness industry, and being a WAHM who uses social media a TON for my business, I'm exposed to a lot of different people in all shapes and sizes.
I've noticed something that keeps coming up in my news feed, emails, newspapers, etc. SHAMING.
You've all seen the dog shaming (which is actually pretty funny!)
The child shaming (can go either way...)
Then there's the worst....
Body shaming.
Look, I've been there. I've hated the way my body looked. I thought that my body was supposed to look a certain way because society said so. And I'll admit, my body isn't what I want it to look like at the moment, but that doesn't mean that I don't LOVE my body!
I am not over weight, nor am I skinny. I have a bubble butt and a flat chest with a little pooch that pads and protects my uterus that made a now 3 month old little human.
The body is an AMAZING thing and we are all incredibly LUCKY to have one!
In this day and age the 'ideal' body type is always out of reach.
We put so much pressure on our selves to achieve what we think is the 'perfect' body that it leads to drastic measures in an attempt to achieve it.
First of all, we need to STOP IT. Seriously... STOP.
No good comes from hating your body.
Second, we need to STOP judging others, no matter their size.
No good comes from judging another body.
Size DOES NOT determine health.
We are all made in a unique way by a loving God who gave us our bodies as a GIFT. We are not robots that are mass produced in a factory.
STOP SHAMING the mom with the six pack 3 months after the birth of her 10th child.
STOP SHAMING the woman who is a size 18 and posts selfies of herself in a new outfit.
STOP SHAMING the size 0 girl who can eat an entire village and not gain a pound.
STOP SHAMING the people who don't fit the 'mold'.
I have an idea. How about instead of bashing the mom with a six pack, we congratulate her on her hard work.
Instead of calling the size 18 names, we compliment her sense of style.
Instead of bad mouthing the size 0, we go to lunch and get to know her.
Instead of SHAMING everyone, we realize that we are all beautiful in our own way and that's all that matters!
*Thank you Dove for your awesome 'real-women' campaign*
My hubby and I were talking about this the other day- how although I'd love to wear what some of these super skinny girls wear, I got the opportunity to have a baby and am proud that my body did what it could to do that.
ReplyDeleteI may want a flatter tummy but it may not be possible.
My chest changed DRAMATICALLY from a perky DD to a saggy DD.
But ya know what? I like my body. I like being a size 6-8 and the curves I have. My hubby loves it most. And if that is what it takes for me to have a baby, to love my curves more, then I'll do it!
As the size 0 person, I can tell you the bullying, shaming, and outright meanness I've endured from people of all ages and walks of life has left such a hole in me and negative impression of myself that I look in the mirror and see the guy from The Nightmare Before Christmas. I feel like my body is all people see because that's one of the first comments people I meet make. Even when I speak up and say stop, it they make excuses for their behavior. I'M the one with the problem, not them.
ReplyDeleteI've become less social now and am afraid to even try to make friends especially with other women because I juts can't take it anymore.
Thank you for writing this. I'm going to share it everywhere.
Also, notice that Dove Real Women campaign? Where's the size 0, 2,or 4 in it? Even that campaign discriminates.
ReplyDelete