Fat Shaming

Hi all!

Today I wanted to write a short article about a topic that sees a lot of attention in the media; fat shaming

First of all, I want to say that I am so sad to see people being bullied and ridiculed for being overweight.

The main point that I want to cover today is the body shaming of people who are overweight, and why it is wrong, and why - in some ways - people may be right (I know that I sound like a right cow, but if you hear me out, I think that it makes a lot of sense).

To start off, body shaming sucks. No matter what you look like, nobody deserves to be put down due to the shape and size of their body. Not the thin people battling with eating disorders, not the naturally thin people, not the average sized people, and not the overweight people.

Now, while I may not be able to personally identify with this particular group of people,  I, myself have struggled with body image issues, and know how difficult it can be to love yourself, when we live in a society where women are constantly put down for recognizing the fact that they may look and feel gorgeous.

The thing about fat people (yes I said it), is that they're fat. Nothing wrong with that in terms of what clothing you can wear, and feel comfortable in, or your self esteem. I have no issues with people being happy with themselves despite being overweight; I am so glad that they can love themselves for who they are.

Recently we have been seeing a lot of controversy about the portrayal (or lack thereof) of plus sized people in magazines and advertising. I am all for being body positive, and making people feel beautiful, however I think that there is a very fine line between allowing people to feel included and beautiful, and accommodating for people to aspire to look like someone who is overweight.

By aspiring to be overweight, just as someone aspiring to be underweight, there are serious health risks involved. Let's look at the facts. People who are overweight have significantly increased chances of conditions such as;
 - Hypertension
 - Diabetes
 - Some Cancers
 - Cardiovascular Conditions
 - Stroke
 - Arthritis
A lot of these conditions are potentially fatal, and significantly decrease the quality of life.

This is my primary reason for being tentative when it comes to plus sized models being advertised as a beauty standard.

I would love to know what you think about this topic, and I know that, as this is such a controversial topic, that I may receive some backlash for writing this, but I really do feel that there is a fine line between being accepting, and being at a serious health risk.

* Please be aware, that when I say plus sized models, I don't mean you're average size 12-14 person.

Til next time,
Bella
xxx