Somewhere along the lines of promoting “body positivity,” we have forgotten that some people are just naturally skinny, or just work out and eat healthy. Especially given the recent Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, it seems that those “skinny shaming” (i.e. people who ridicule others for being “too skinny”) are all too eager to have their opinions heard.
But Victoria’s Secret Angels aren’t the only ones who are criticized for being “anorexic” and “too skinny.” With artists like Meghan Trainor and celebrities like Amy Schumer praising girls with curves, girls who have a genetically thin body type, or girls who workout regularly and eat a healthy diet, are now being considered to have an irregular body type.
What some people don’t seem to realize is that by praising girls with curves, claiming they are the “regular” women, it’s doing the exact same thing they didn’t want done to the curvy women. It’s shaming them and claiming that their body type is undesirable, abnormal, and isn’t wanted by society.
The same goes for guys. Guys are told they need to be muscular and toned, which sends the message that skinny, tall boys, or boys who are larger aren’t desirable to women.
It may seem like being called “too skinny” would be preferable to being called “too fat,” but it’s actually just as damaging to be called out on a thin body type. Skinny-shaming communicates the message that if a girl doesn’t have a big butt and large breasts, or if a boy doesn’t have a muscular build, their bodies aren’t good enough.
How to Show REAL Body Positivity
Instead of praising people for their physical appearances, people should be valued for their personalities and the kindness they show. A person’s body type doesn’t define their worth, and it doesn’t define the kind of person they are.
Girls and boys of all body types should feel confident enough to love themselves. More artists should be singing about how attractive it is to be generous, cheerful, and loving, Let’s focus less on what a person looks like, and more on the kind of person someone is.
There is no “right” body type, just as there is no “wrong” one. We may not all work out and eat like the Victoria’s Secret Models, but that doesn’t mean we’re not good enough.
On the other hand, those models shouldn’t be hated on because they work hard for their bodies. We are all unique, we all live different lives, and we are all worthy of recognition and love.