It seems like a societal trend, almost, for girls and boys from popular media platforms such as social media and magazines to be following some kind of invisible standards: girls slim and fit, boys muscular and strong.
Yet as most of us already notice in our everyday lives, this cannot possibly be the case for most in real life. However, such invisible and unexplained, yet popularized standards are often placed on many individuals.
Shaming one for not having the “perfect” shape, stigmatizing individuals for not fitting into the “correct” size… the phenomenon of fat-shame bullying is increasingly appearing in a variety of scenarios – on the internet, on social media, and even at home.
What is Fat Shaming (or Body Shaming)?
Fat shaming, or body shaming, is the act of humiliating someone for their body shapes and physical appearance – this can include negative and insulting comments and statements about someone’s shape and body size.
As a common misunderstanding, body shaming not only occurs to individuals who look overweight; those who look underweight are also at risk of bullying and stigma.
Why is body shaming harmful?
Body shaming is, undoubtedly, a type of bullying. Bullying is any intentionally malicious act towards anyone. Some may argue that by body shaming someone, this means this person is constantly receiving reminders of his or her body size or shape and therefore can be motivated to change their weight. However, instead of being a form of motivation, this body shaming, as suggested by an increasing amount of scientific and psychological evidence, is extremely harmful. When individuals consistently receive the message “my body is terrible”, they will become increasingly ashamed. This might make victims more inclined to consume an increased amount of food and calories.
For the victims who have to face a situation of body shaming, this experience is certainly very humiliating. It can even lead to mental health disorders.
Conclusion
Regardless of whether or not it’s well-intended health reminders or simply commentary for body sizes and shapes of others, there exists an ultimate bottom line that serves as the border between statements that are kind and discriminative.
It is immensely important for us to be clearly aware of the fact – that body shaming, being a type of bullying, has the potential to create a traumatizing experience for others. Keep this in mind – that body shaming is a form of bullying that should not be tolerated in any case.
If you’re ever unsure of whether or not your comments might be any kind of bodyshame, even if your words are well-intended, just remember: it’s best to just choose not to comment on others’ body shapes because you never know what someone else is going through.
On the other hand, if someone starts a body shaming commentary towards you, it is also significant to keep in mind that the bully – not you – should be ashamed.
