Society has always burdened us with numerous criticisms and abuses but in recent years Body Shaming has been very consistently topping the list. It remains needless to mention the frequency in which Body Shaming has exercised its powers over males and females alike. And has unfortunately led to people suffering from trauma, depression, suicidal thoughts, and many more. Where on one hand a majority of the percentage is always looking forward to a chance to body shame everyone and anyone yet on the other, some are always fighting against it, trying to preach to people about self-acceptance and self-love. It is satisfactory to witness people standing against the abuse, heads held high.
But with time this has been seen to be taking a wrong course and other than actually helping people it has led a lot of people into much health-related difficulties. A lot of people have embraced fatness to fight against Body Shaming. Abuse definitely is very different from an illness. Yet there is a fine line between Body Shaming and Obesity which often is blurred, which often is crossed leading to serious outcomes. Let us thus break down the different terms, notions, and their actual meanings.
What exactly is Body Shaming?
Adhering to the most relevant and accepted source of information, Wikipedia, ‘Body Shaming’, refers to the humiliation one is subjected to due to the different physical attributes one is provided with. These include facing judgements for different facial features and heights, shape and size of genitals, complexion (also known as Racism), hairiness, and much more. And undoubtedly fat shaming, a term very synonymously used. Fat shaming can be either be said when one is harassed for being overweight or for one's choice of dressing being overweight.
For years and years together society has created strict norms and has tried to force them on everyone. And the moment one does not fit into the box, and comply with the accepted he or she is immediately forced to either bow down and act in accordance with societal standards or is subjected to abuse. And for females in specific, the measurements of the "perfect body" have been pronounced and anyone not aligning with it is treated as ‘ugly’ or ‘unattractive’. Thus utilizing Body Shaming as a means of confinement.
What does the term “FAT” mean?
The word ‘Fat’ is provided with multiple meanings but in the tendency of using it so colloquially we sometimes forget to consider all the facets. As a reliable source on the internet states that one of the meanings of 'Fat' can be synonymized with 'obesity', 'overweight', etc. These terms as a matter of fact hold much more significant meaning than just describing a person’s body shape. It is such a pity to see these important terminologies reduced to meanings absolutely trivial.
Obesity is a life-threatening chronic disease that retains the ability of damaging internal organs in the long run. Each year the percentage of deaths due to being Overweight gradually increases. Obesity is always believed to be the breeding ground for a lot of other illnesses, some of them being PCOD/PCOS, Diabetes, High Cholesterol, Osteoarthritis, Fatty Liver, Cardiac Arrests, Miscarriages and Infertility, Erectile Dysfunction, etc. Obesity does have a cause and cure it is not something someone is born with. Opting for an active life and healthy, balanced diet can help to cope with it and in return increase one’s lifespan.
The entangled notions
FAT IS NOT A BEAUTY QUOTIENT. Scream this sentence as loud as you can, and let it resonate across the globe.
This is a kind of humble request to everyone out there laughing, advising, or commenting "Oh! What a fat girl!" or "Look at her isn't he resembling an elephant/hippopotamus!" or "How fat and ugly she looks!" or "Why don't you shed some kilos you will look more attractive and handsome!" to treat victims of obesity the way they would treat a Cancer patient or disease involving physical distortions. It is more than just a proven fact that a very less percentage of people would break into reviling giggles looking at a bald man or woman who had undergone Chemotherapy or a disabled man. Then why do we nurture the habit of being insensitive toward patients dealing with Obesity?
The major section might comprise of your relatives and others familiar to you, who very conveniently come up with a stock defence - 'because I'm concerned for you'. No Sir/Madam, your insulting someone everywhere and anywhere all the time is not helping someone to be motivated to lose weight rather your harsh unthoughtful words are pushing them into depression, self-doubt, etc. If the intention is genuinely to help then it is crucial to know the proper way to do it, to be empathetic, to be more personal, and to be more loving and caring because they sure have heard it before as well. And if one decides they cannot abide by gentleness then there is always the option of keeping quiet.
Another request is for all those obese man and woman who writes “Accepting myself!” or “Love the way I am!” or “Embracing my body!” In this promotion of unhealthiness, you are encouraging people to be ill, and the support extended is towards a disease and not against a social taboo. And this is extremely dangerous. One cannot accept their overweight body because it is a serious illness we are dealing with here. Imagine a person with a tumour in his or her stomach and he or she decides to accept his or her pot belly, or someone decides to keep their Thyroid Disorders because he or she is loving the way they are. Can you fathom what he or she is embracing and what becomes the outcome?
It is quintessential to keep in mind that getting rid of obesity is necessary because you want to be fit and fine and live a healthy lifestyle and not because someone will appreciate your figure. Because Obesity has a scientific backdrop and not some aesthetic pleasure associated with it.
Who remains to be the victim?
In both cases, whether Body-Shaming or Obesity the victim remains the subjected one. All those passing derogatory remarks care not a dime about you i.e. whether you suffer from depression from their comments or whether you are working against Body Shaming or whether your obesity is leading you to other diseases. They are the most futile bunch of people, this is just their compulsive behaviour rather, leisure, they are never going to notice what you chose to do because of them. Ask yourself if they are worthy of your choice of decision. So if you start abiding by their actions and words you will always be at the losing end. Never let yourself to be the victim!
What becomes the solution?
Does that mean we have to surrender to Body Shaming and be obedient to their mentalities? Never, that is not even an option. Then how to deal with it! The first and foremost thing to remember is achieving a balance. Where on one hand you will have to retaliate fiercely to anyone telling you to change your choice of dress because you are "FAT" on the other you will have to workout equally fiercely to shed your unhealthiness. Where on one hand you will not starve yourself to reduce your weight just because somebody has told you "How much more will you eat! You will burst! Stop eating so much!" on the other you will maintain to feed yourself with a nutritious diet whenever hungry. So that both of your purposes are served; so that your protest against Body Shaming and attaining a healthy lifestyle go hand in hand.
Your Health, Happiness, and Hygiene are your wealth and none can ever snatch that from you. You need to understand your priorities as well as make wise and thoughtful choices. As far as Body Shaming is concerned, to be brutally honest, not even your immediate family and friends are licensed to do but when it comes to health you are in need of professional help. Yes, it is certainly necessary to stand against these kinds of discrimination and to work together to drive away Body-Shaming but never at the cost of your very own health.