There is a Special Place in Hell for Body Shamers
- Lyssa Ireland Thomas
- Aug 18, 2021
- 2 min read
It enrages me that we spend so much time on the subject of women's bodies. Not only is it trivial in the grand scheme of things, but it is downright demeaning. What is most damaging of all is it is often a woman-on-woman crime.
I could probably count on one hand the number of times I've read the news online that I didn't see an article disparaging a woman's body. But, hold on, I'd have to cut off my fingers. Never mind.
Today's atrocity was against twenty-four-year-old Camila Cabello. Can you imagine finding anything wrong with a strong, healthy young woman's body? Or, for that matter, is it any of our effing business?
This beautiful female delights our ears with melodic music to uplift our lives, and we cast judgment on her because she didn't suck in her tummy while running. It's ridiculous, not to mention soul-crushing to her psyche.
I'm optimistic that the troll paparazzi taking her picture are specimens of health, so I'm glad they are making sure to capture the most unflattering pictures of her possible. They are indeed the gatekeepers of physique standards. Not.
Billie Eilish went years covering her body in baggy clothes to avoid judgment. The one day she ran out of the house in just a tank top, the world made sure to voice their displeasure over her body. And musical standout, Olivia Rodrigo, took an innocent Instagram picture and was assumed anorexic.
Lastly, we have the multi-talented Lizzo, who serves as an inspiration to us larger gals, raked over the coals this week for her "Rumors" video. Mind you; the backlash was so vile it made the unflappable star cry.
At what point do we realize that these comments are akin to a drive-by shooting to the soul? They might not kill like a real bullet, but the scar tissue builds over the years. We wonder why we are having a mental health crisis in our world.
The bottom line is ALL problems stem from the way people treat each other. We are not even asking for everyone to be decent human beings, which appears to be impossible for some. So what would it take to just STFU?
I don't know what happens after this life, but I do know I can't live without a little more humanity. What if we just took three small steps toward positivity to see if our earthly experiences could improve just a wee bit more.
We do NOT comment on someone's body. Contrary to popular belief, our bodies are a gift that does truly miraculous things, and no one has a right to criticize it.
We DO comment on someone's gifts. Camila, Billie, Olivia, and Lizzo, you have fantastic voices! Your music brightens my day!
We do NOT support people who Body Shame. However, if someone does have the perfect body where they feel entitled to comment on others' bodies, they best enjoy today because time, gravity, and Karma are bitches!
Please go out there and be supportive of each other. Mental health is fragile, and we could all use a boost!
Who did you tell they are fabulous today?
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Lisa,
As a "girl of size" this breaks my heart. I now realize people lack creativity so they go straight for the weight. If you really want to hurt me, comment on my poor cooking skills or lack of athleticism. Going straight to my weight tells me you must be pretty dumb, which is way worse than being overweight!
I've got a fabulous broken chair story to share with you that will make you feel much better, but it won't change that your co-workers suck. Keep in mind that we love you here and, frankly, we are much better people. Wouldn't you rather have our approval than theirs? I know you have to deal with them every day, but …
Body shaming is one of my biggest pet peeves. I have been ridiculed, shamed, pointed at, whispered about and been the subject of shaming adjacent I work for a police department where dispatch (my domain) is predominately female and currently our dept. only has 3 female officers and we are gaining a 4th soon. When I say I have been subject to shaming adjacent, I am referring to my officers talking about the women they come in contact with being "fat" or "huge" and using exclamations like "OH MY GOD" in reference to a woman's size and then of course there is the laughter. When I ask them, "what did she look like" or "how big was she?" They…