It is quite disheartening to see individuals talk down the esteem of others through their words.
I have seen and heard a lot of individuals body shaming others because of the various ideas in their heads that a certain body shape or size is better than the other.
When you consciously or unconsciously use certain statements or words to talk down or humiliate an individual because of their body size or shape, in this case, a slim/skinny individual, then you are body shaming them and this is wrong.
In this article are five commonly used statements for slim/skinny individuals that should be discouraged as it affects the mental and physical health of such individuals.
1. Eat well
Food is never really a determinant of the body size of an individual.
Regardless of the extent to which a person eats, if the person will add weight, they will and if they won’t, they wouldn’t.
So, telling a slim person to eat well is just a subtle way of body shaming them.
Even if you are concerned about the stature or body size of the person, there are better ways of showing your concern rather than telling them to eat well.
Unless you know specifically about an individual’s eating habits, you have no right and shouldn’t be commenting on their body size.
2. When will you get fat?
I have been a victim of this for a while now and I just feel bad when someone asks me this question- when will I get fat? I didn’t intentionally make myself slim, so, why ask when I will add weight?
For whatever reason, I feel it is bad to ask slim individuals when they will get fat.
This is because consciously or unconsciously, you are making us feel inferior or inadequate as a result of our body size that we have little or no power over.
3. Be careful, you might get blown away
Saying this to a slim person is one of the cruel statements you can ever say to a slim person.
A person’s weight is not really dependent on their body size. I think a person’s weight is a result of the density of the bones in their body and not fat or flesh.
So, it is quite possible for a slim person to have more weight than a plus-sized individual.
Desist from using this statement on slim individuals because it is hurtful and of course, it is body shaming.
4. Are you ill-fed?
The choice of what to eat, when to eat and how much to eat is totally a personal decision.
So, asking a person if they are ill-fed as a result of their body size is disrespectful and an infringement on their privacy.
If you feel a person’s body size is a result of their poor eating habits, then, there are better ways to show your concern rather than asking them if they are ill-fed.
5. Why are you so skinny?
I have seen individuals who eat well, live a healthy life and are still slim.
I have also seen individuals who have used various multivitamins and supplements in order for them to increase in size a bit.
The reason some individuals take steps on increasing their body size no matter what is as a result of such statements as “why are you so skinny?” asked by people around them.
Regardless of how skinny or slim a person looks, I feel it is best we appreciate them for who they are and not judge them based on temporary qualities like body shape or size.
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