The problem of body shaming has been around for a long time and knows no size. Those who are fat, skinny, big and small have gone through it at some point in their lives. It also happens to both men and women. The body positivity movement strives to empower everyone to have a respectful and healthy relationship with their bodies regardless of size, sex, ethnicity, background, etc. It allows people to live free from all the negativity and shackles body shaming uses to bind people.

Plus size model Tess Holliday appeared on a Cosmopolitan UK Cover looking beautiful and glam in a swimsuit. People had a lot to say about it with as many supporting while others were disagreeing. Piers Morgan said that showcasing her on the cover was dangerous and promoted morbid obesity. Other writers had the same thoughts, and those on Twitter claimed that she was inspiring unhealthy behavior from young women.

What these people forget is that it’s none of their business what one decides to eat and whether they are overweight. If they are, then they have no right to ostracize or shun them. Fatphobia is wreaking havoc, destroying lives and needs to stop.

We also have no right to call someone overweight unless you know their ideal weight. People are different, and there is no fixed perfect weight. Furthermore, you can be skinny and unhealthy too. Being fat is not always an indication of poor health.

From when young, fatness means that you have a weight that isn’t ideal or perfect, that this is bad and could lead to diseases. This belief gets worse with age depending on your environment growing up. If your parents, family, and friends continue shaming fat people, then it affects you too. Pictures of the ideal size and shape for a woman or man are on magazine covers, on advertisements, social media, and music we watch. Anybody who is not this size is not considered ideal, perfect or worthy. That if you are overweight or obese, then you aren’t worthy.

The problem of body shaming has been around for a long time and knows no size. Those who are fat, skinny, big and small have gone through it at some point in their lives. It also happens to both men and women. The body positivity movement strives to empower everyone to have a respectful and healthy relationship with their bodies regardless of size, sex, ethnicity, background, etc. It allows people to live free from all the negativity and shackles body shaming uses to bind people.

Society has this all messed up because just because one is different from what is considered the norm, does not mean they can’t contribute meaningfully to it. It’s essential to view people by who they are and not for their looks.

Is body positivity promoting obesity? No, because when one feels good about their body, they feel confident and make better health choices. Health is also relative and looks different on each person. One must tune in to their body to know what health means to them without relying on societies definition. Society needs a mind shift that allows everyone to understand their health. Furthermore, life is not all about weight but about having wellness of body, mind, and spirit.

People who have never had to deal with body issues have a hard time understanding this concept, but just because they don’t, doesn’t make them right. One must decide to personally make better choices by tuning in to their body and knowing what it needs to have a vibrant mind, and spirit. Do not become a slave of compulsion or stuck in a loop that is hard to get free. One is not bad because they do not fit a box or are not what society considers ideal. Don’t let your family, friends, the media or community dictate how your body should look.

When experiencing self-hate, changing our view of the world or how we see ourselves can be hard. It can be hard to make better choices on how to treat and nourish the body. It will be an overwhelming task. Those who’ve dealt with body shaming know how it sucks the life out and becomes suffocating. Finding help becomes difficult too because the only solution offered by doctors, friends, and family is to lose weight to feel better. This answer only makes things worse leading to more issues.

If you genuinely want to help people make better choices on their health, encourage, empower and support them instead of body shaming. Listen to what they are saying without bringing up the weight issue. Let people define their health based on their body and needs.