In case you haven't heard, this past week was a long one. YouTube personality Nicole Arbour posted a six minute video entitled "Dear Fat People" where she very openly expresses her overwhelming 'concern' for overweight people and what we should do to help them. However, her advice has been considered controversial, encouraging her audience to "shame fat people from bad habits until they f**king stop." Not exactly what most consider friendly concern or helpful in any way.
As a 'fat' woman, I am far too familiar with body shaming. The only childhood memories I have kept are hateful taunts, harassment due to my weight, and depression because I was ashamed of how my body looked. As of now, I am an adult and my weight has not gone down. I am and continue to be overweight by definition.
Sadly, I am not the only woman who has been bullied or chastised due to their size. From youth, girls are pressured into looking a certain way; the media bleeds into our minds and we are given an image on how we are supposed to be shaped. This pressure does not just affect plus sized females; Sara Li opened up regarding her experience of being shamed as a size 0 'skinny' girl in her early childhood years. Li was taught from a very young age that being skinny is 'ideal' and that it is her responsibility to maintain it. Granted, it is not nearly as brutal as Nicole Arbour's attack towards fat people, but Li even states that body shaming is not the same for all sizes and that there is a heavy emphasis on being thin. |
If you are a woman who has been shamed for what size or shape your body is, I am truly and deeply sorry. I know what it is like to be hurt and not feel beautiful. People like Nicole Arbour do not help. Therefore, Ms. Arbour, you've inspired me. Because of you, it is my goal to promote positive body image no matter what the size. Body shaming towards women needs to end. There is nothing wrong with loving yourself the way you are, and I am not alone in this boat. www.nobodyshame.com is a campaign to help promote positive body image regardless of size. Whitney Way Thore, star of "My Big Fat Fabulous Life" on TLC launched this campaign after she battled with eating disorders and weight gain. The goal of the campaign is to eliminate the mindset that women have to be a certain size to be considered beautiful, whether skinny or thin.
I am 1000 percent behind this campaign. I am proud of who I am and what I have accomplished. I choose to be comfortable in my skin, and I can appreciate the beauty within everyone. Too many young girls are exposed to extraneous amounts of hate and are more likely to suffer from depression or practice self harm. I am on the side of loving myself, so that I can love others better. #LoveYourself no matter what size.