I am sick and tired of seeing these ridiculous pictures being circulated on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and the general internet.
How is this okay? How is it okay to compare women by their body type? I understand that the women on the bottom are supermodels, but nonetheless, how is it okay to say they're not beautiful? I think all the women are beautiful.
I argued with a friend on Facebook after she shared this photo, and she said "it's obviously anorexia." If it's obviously anorexia, then they need help. Anorexia is an eating disorder which needs attention. (May I point out, it's not obvious?) Regardless of whether they do or not, it's not right to shame someone's body who has an eating disorder. That can send someone in to an even further downward spiral. Why can't we help each other out instead of pushing each other down?
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Body shaming with pictures like the one at the top, or the ones that say "Real men love curves, not bones" are ridiculous! So, by sharing that, are you saying that your friend who is thin will never be loved by a man/woman? How do you think she feels when she sees you share a photo like that? In my field of work, I see little girls who have "G-Tubes" (where they are fed through a tube in their stomach) and they can't gain weight like the average woman. Are you saying they aren't beautiful? I worked at a clothing store that had a petites section, and women would come in thinking they hit the jackpot on pants but left in a low mood because they try as hard as they can to gain weight, but the pants are STILL too big for them. By sharing photos around that shame their bodies, you're telling them they aren't worth someone's love. To me, all of us are worth someone's love.
I have been guilty of also sharing pictures like this, but I stopped. I've grown up since high school and I realized how hurtful, cruel, and to be frank, stupid it is. I would hate it if someone used a picture of me or someone I knew in a picture like those. I hope you read this with an open mind and that I at least helped you realize how hurtful and unnecessary these pictures are.
I'm sure I have more to say, but right now I'm going to leave you with some quotes that help you realize how beautiful you are.
xo. Nicole
Also, please share your own stories and thoughts about this topic! I would love to hear from you!
Body shaming is quite insidious. We don't usually do it for men - almost always women. Basically we're promoting the idea that women HAVE to look a certain way to be considered valuable. Their intelligence, talent, personality do not matter, just their looks.
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