Trainer Emmet Rushe discusses why there is never an excuse to comment on anyone’s weight, ever.

Twice during the past week, I was met with body shaming on social media.

Once towards a person on Facebook and another in a group on Twitter.

The thing is, both were aimed at people who were underweight.

The person had a video of themselves up at the beach and the comment towards them was blatantly derogatory towards their weight.

The phrase ‘needs a good burger’ was actually written in the comments below their video.

The Twitter debate was based around the idea that, it wasn’t as bad if someone who is skinny is shamed for being underweight as it was for someone who is fat, is shamed for being overweight.

Is this really where we have ended up?

Are we so blind to the fact that in both cases, shaming of any kind is totally unacceptable, regardless of the weight of the person.

Do any of you actually think, that if you shame someone who is underweight, it WON’T have the same effect on them as shaming someone who is overweight?

If you do, you really need to have a long hard look at yourself.

Please, don’t even try and start with the line of ‘it’s alright for you’;

I’ve been both overweight and underweight and I can tell you that no matter what weight you are, when someone shames you, it fucking hurts.

There is no excuse for shaming anyone about anything to do with their weight or shape or any physical attribute they have, none.

Let me ask you this;

Is it ok to be ‘in shape’ or ‘curvy’ but if you are underweight or skinny you are ‘lucky’ and can be ridiculed for it?

What if the message in the person’s Facebook post, was posted with the message the other way around?

What if it was ridiculing the ‘curvy’ person as being ‘overweight’, do you think the person who wrote, ‘needs a good burger’ would have written, ‘needs to stop eating burgers’, or something as derogatory?

I doubt it; in fact, I would hazard a guess that there would be a lynch mob out for whoever would have posted it.

But if you are skinny or underweight it is fine?

The person who wrote it seemed to think so, in fact when I called them out on it they didn’t seem to see the offence

Why?

Is it because people who are underweight have never had the burden of being overweight?

Is it because if you are naturally thin you are ‘lucky’ and should ‘shut up’ when you complain about not being happy with your shape?

After all, what could you possibly have to complain about?

You can eat anything you want and not put on weight, you lucky b*tch!

I’m afraid that train of thought is as septic as the train of thought that would criticise or put down someone who is overweight or obese.

None of you knows where a person has come from;
What they have struggled with;
What issues they have had to deal with;
If they are finally starting to have a healthy relationship with food again after years of not having one.

How do you know that a passing comment couldn’t send them back to where they were?

You don’t.

Which is why you should think before you open your mouth or start typing any sort of a comment to or about anyone.

There is never an excuse to comment on anyone’s weight, EVER!

It doesn’t matter what you think.
It doesn’t matter how hard done by you feel about yourself.
It doesn’t matter if you have been a victim of this in the past and you should know better if you have.
It doesn’t matter.

You never have the right.
So, the next time you think about passing comment or publicly shaming someone on social media, have a long hard think about how you would feel if the tables were turned, and then keep your comments to yourself.

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