Body shaming is any act that criticizes a person’s body shape, size, weight, or other physical characteristics. It includes saying something negative about a person’s body, shaming the person because of how they look, saying sarcastic things to them, or out-rightly bullying them.
There are various kinds of body shaming. People are shamed because they look fat, even though they might have the perfect BMI ratio . Society has stigmatized plus-sized people so that it seems that they have some sort of disease. Body shaming extends beyond fat or higher-weight people. Slim folks are also targets. People are shamed if their body weight is lower than the societal norm. You can be described in sarcastic, derogatory terms like broomstick, or toothpick. And as a lady, if you have hair on your arms and legs you can also be shamed.
Thus, if you do not fit into what the world says is a model size and look, you stand a chance of being shamed. You can be too tall, too short, too fat, too slim, or too hairy and so on.
Effects of Body Shaming
The most common sort of body shaming is fat shaming. It is annoying to harass people about their weight or eating habits to make them feel ashamed of themselves. In most cases, the people harassing others are deemed of “average” build and have never had to struggle with their weight. It’s usually justified as a means to motivate people, but research shows that constant mention of a person’s weight creates more stress causing weight gain. It is not encouragement or concern. It is often judgmental health advice. Body shaming can cause the following problems:
Low self-esteem
Body shaming is a considerable factor affecting self-esteem. Constant body shaming can cause a person to become ashamed of themselves. Continued low self-esteem can affect your relationships, sense of self-worth, how you express yourself, and how you navigate life. When you compare your body to someone else’s, you can never be content because you can’t measure up. And social media isn’t helping. It creates a fantasy that is impossible to keep up with.
Mental Health
Body shaming can have an effect on a person’s mental health. It can lead to depression, eating disorders, anxiety and lack of confidence. Affected persons can see themselves as unworthy of happiness and respect, resulting in social withdrawal or complete isolation. If not treated in time, these people develop serious anxiety issues and even experience panic attacks.
Eating Disorders
Body shaming can lead to the development of an eating disorder. Many who struggle with eating disorders cite bullying as an initial trigger for their eating disorder. When someone is bullied or shamed because of their weight, they can delve into unhealthy behaviours such as over-eating, weight gain or weight control measures that take things to the extreme.
Body Dysmorphia
Body shaming can lead to a condition called Body Dysmorphia. This disorder is a mental health condition in which you can’t stop thinking about one or more perceived defects or flaws in your appearance. A person with this condition is extremely preoccupied with a perceived flaw in their appearance and believes that others take special notice of it in a negative way or mock you. They engage in behaviours aimed at fixing or hiding perceived flaws that are difficult to resist or control, such as frequently checking the mirror, grooming or skin picking and attempting to hide perceived flaws with styling, makeup or clothes, and constantly comparing their appearance with others.
How to Cope with Body Shaming
No one should feel ashamed about how they look. But if you’ve been fat or body-shamed, there are things you can do to take care of yourself if you experience body shaming. These steps can help you get started:
Be Realistic
Know that there’s no such thing as a perfect body. Take care of yourself. But do not try too hard to look a certain way. Bodies are not all designed to be slim with a six-pack. Love yourself. Celebrate your body by doing what you love with it. A little active self-care can go a long way in helping you appreciate the body you live in.
Stay vigilant
Be on the lookout for instances where you can be shamed. When you expect it, you can handle it better. You will see a lot of advertisements for the perfect body on the internet and on television, try to notice subtle shaming in these ads and the conversations around you. This can help you identify and stop any body shaming you’ve internalized and may be repeating to yourself.
Take Control of your Social Media
If body-shaming comments on social media give you stress, take control by cutting out toxic persons in your life or unfollowing those who make you feel bad about yourself. Follow pages of influencers who promote messages of body positivity. If your goal is to improve yourself physically, you can follow pages that promote health or inspire you to be fit. But if your goal is to be positive, follow pages that encourage self-acceptance.
Talk About It
You can talk to a professional or others whom you trust. You’ll feel more connected when you are open about body shaming, and in turn, it will have less power over you. Talking to a licensed therapist or healthcare provider who specializes in body inclusivity can help.
