We humans are not always aware of the fact that our words can deeply hurt. When it comes to judging a person based on their physical appearance, what we say will definitely affect their mental health. It doesn’t matter if our words come off as a “friendly” remark or as a “harmless” joke. Body shaming has long-lasting consequences and I’m here to tell you why.
Being body shamed by your family
Let’s talk about how normal body shaming has become among families. I believe family members disrespecting one another’s physical appearance is a very usual occurrence. But it has to stop. Parents, grandparents, or any other relatives consider that it is their duty to give you their opinion on what your body looks like. They would make comments about how fat or skinny you have gotten over the years and then laugh it off like it’s nothing. On top of that, they think they have your best interests at heart by saying such harmful things.
When a parent or a close relative judges your physical appearance, you live with that judgment for a very long time. And because of that, low self-esteem or body image problems can easily develop.
It is no surprise that body shaming leads to eating disorders. The constant pressure of being told to lose or gain weight is at fault. Therefore, it will mess up your brain and your eating habits. The ongoing prejudice against underweight or overweight people has led to the rise of eating disorders over the years. Disorders like Bulimia, Anorexia, Orthorexia are all caused by body dissatisfaction. Although they manifest differently, they all have one thing in common: the feeling of guilt after eating.
In the end, body shaming is just another form of bullying. Let’s embrace all types of bodies and beat the standards that have been set by society when it comes to body image.