There are
many people out there working towards putting an end to body shaming as well as
the stereotypes that goes along with being plus size, "tiny size", and people being the way they are. Body shaming, a wrong
which has been on since time immemorial, is the practice of making critical,
abusive, humiliating comments about a person's body, both structure and physique. It also extends to
discriminating such individuals and extending negative attitudes, even in the media, towards such people. A backlash
against body shaming has resulted in the curbing of the act itself with
attempts to bring a more positive attitude towards diverse body size and shape.
An ancient evil gone worse with the proliferation of the social media, body
shaming affects most people in the society, regardless of age, ethnicity,
gender, sexuality. Body shaming is wrong and needs to stop.
The media also being a perpetrator of this. People pick up so called 'rules' about
how we should or must look from movies, TV shows etc. It is also important to
note that body shaming can come from our loved ones and even ourselves as most
are not even aware of its negative effects. Have you ever heard, or said to
yourself, 'I’m too fat', 'I’m chubby', 'I’m
obese', 'I wish I was thinner', 'if only
I were smaller', etc, then you have practiced what is known as body shaming,
and you are not alone.
The
inferiority complex that one builds because of their body structure and the
constant pressure to gain a perfect body endangers humans to suffer from mental
health problems like depression and they often tend to spend their time trying
to fit in within the society by sacrificing their needs all because they want
to look 'perfect' and get societal acceptance and validation. This may even lead to depression
and at times suicide. It may as well also result to self-criticism, low self-esteem with it reflecting in
personal or professional failures. Fear of getting rejected, and being insulted
because of their appearance always tend to affect a victim’s psychological
health leading to a lack of confidence, thereby crushing the individual's level
of confidence. People who are shamed for their body often have hard times with
their eating habits as most of them are scared to eat in front of people which
often leads to eating disorders.
Many people
are embracing their body no matter what the scale says. Some are going to
extremes to show the positive side of being plus size. We live in a world of
great diversity where people come in all form, size, and color. Learning to
accept others for who they are and not how they look can only be beneficial in
the end. Body structure doesn’t define a person, it is just a cover. Worth is
defined by whom a person is, and not what their body structure is.
The Campaign
Against Body Shaming (CABS) is a movement aimed at bringing awareness to the
society about body shaming and its effects on the victims. A movement aimed to
encourage and promote self-acceptance, body confidence and body positivity. As
advocates of CABS, we create awareness on this menace called body shaming,
enlightening people of its effects and way out. Victims that have been affected
by body shaming are supported by encouraging them and linking them up with
mental health practitioners and therapists. Maximizing the use of social media
to push the campaign as social media is one major way by which shaming occurs
and combating shaming without social media is most likely not enough.
