Check out 16 Return-To-Work Programs In India For Ambitious Women Like You!
I can’t deny the fact that these comments must have affected me at a deeper level. Or else I wouldn’t remember these incidents after all these years.
Kiran Manral’s latest article on body shaming got me thinking about my experience and here I am sharing my personal journey.
According to the WHO, over 1 billion people worldwide are obese–650 million adults, 340 million adolescents, and 39 million children. Obesity is a huge health concern and needs attention. Creating awareness and having open conversations about it would show us better results than shaming others.
To all those who have ever indulged in body shaming, and found it funny… I can only say this–“Tum nahi samjhoge. Kuch kuch hota hai.”
Unlike the movie, the “kuch-kuch” in this case is not a mushy feeling enveloping the heart, but rather a haunting feeling of deep pain, anguish, and despair. It can even lead to lifelong trauma.
I am happy about the awareness that is being created and people have finally started talking openly about this sensitive issue. It is important to be healthy and feel healthy. A positive body image makes all the difference.
If obese people are at one end of the spectrum, at the other end are the skinny ones. Like me.
The general misconception is that a thin person is healthy. It’s not the case always. According to researchers, underweight people are five times more likely to die after being treated for common heart problems.
Apart from heart problems, skinny people are affected by higher incidences of osteoporosis, anaemia, decreased immunity, irregular menstrual cycles, etc.
When we hear the word ‘body shaming,’ we automatically associate it with an obese person. Not many of us realise that mocking a skinny person is body shaming, too.
I have been on the skinnier side all my life. I hit the magic figure of ‘50’ only after my marriage.
Trust me, life’s not easier on the other side either. I have faced more than my fair share of ridicule, especially during my growing-up years.
Though these incidents happened over two decades ago, I still remember them.
I haven’t forgotten the “kind” people who would joke if my parents had forgotten to feed me. Or the “over-concerned” ones who worried if my parents or sister were eating my share of food.
Every summer, hot, dusty winds would blow over the plains of northern India. The change in weather would make people around me extra conscious of my welfare. “Beta, be careful. Ud mat jaana!” They would comment, worried if the winds might actually carry me away.
Probably, in their hearts, they meant well. But such laced taunts didn’t help me in any manner. I find it surprising that none of them realised how mean and unkind they were being.
If the adults were exhibiting cruelty, kids my age were not accepting either. An episode from 1995 remains unforgotten to date.
This incident happened when I was in 10th standard. There was pin-drop silence during the science period. A “witty” comment from the class clown sent the entire class giggling. To my horror, the teacher was having a good time, too. Choking back my tears, I too joined in the laughter. Soon, the period ended. The joke was forgotten. Forgotten by them. Not me! I still remember the manner in which my classmate tapped his plastic scale on my back, rolled it along my spine, and sneered, “ma’am, we don’t need this chart to understand the skeletal system. Chandra hai na. I just counted all her bones.”
Thankfully, my parents didn’t let me get affected by the vile comments. I don’t remember ever trying to do anything silly to gain weight. I never ate raw eggs with milk or feasted on bananas for breakfast despite all the suggestions that poured in. I was a happy child.
Having said that, I can’t deny the fact that these comments must have affected me at a deeper level. Or else I wouldn’t remember these incidents after all these years.
These experiences have made me stronger and more sensitive toward others who are battling health issues.
I have just one request for all those reading this article. Next time you see someone obese, don’t call them ‘moti.’
Or, if you come across a skinny person, please don’t ask them, “Ghar pe khaane ko nahi milta hai kya?”
It hurts, it really does.
Image source: a still from the film Gippy
read more...
Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
Stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter or Daily Summary - or both!
UP Boards Topper Prachi Nigam was trolled on social media for her facial hair; our obsession with appearance is harsh on young minds.
Prachi Nigam’s photo has been doing the rounds on social media for the right reasons. Well, scratch that- I wish the above statement were true. This 15-year-old girl should ideally be revelling in her spectacular achievement of scoring a whopping 98.05% and topping her tenth-grade boards. But oddly enough, along with her marks, it’s something else that garners more attention – her facial hair.
While the trolls are driving themselves giddy by mocking this girl who hasn’t even completed her school yet, the ones who are taking her side are going one step ahead – they are sharing her photoshopped pictures, sans the facial hair, looking nothing less than a celebrity with captions saying – “Prachi Nigam, ten years later”.
Doctors have already diagnosed her with PCOD in their comments, based on photographic evidence. While we have names for people shamed for their weight – body shaming, for their skin colour- racism, for their age- age shaming, for being a female- sexism, this category of shaming where one faces criticism for their appearance has no name. With that, it also has zero shame attached to it.
Please enter your email address