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Body shaming is a serious issue?
Author : Dr.Tulika | 27 Dec 2023
What is Body shaming?
Body shaming is the act of passing derogatory remarks on someone’s body or ridiculing their physical appearance, basically, shaming them for the way they look.
Historically, since the olden times, being fat was considered to be a virtue and a sign of richness while being thin was a sign of poverty. The shift of the concept of ideal body image from fat to thin came somewhere around the early nineteenth century, and the focus of this was women more than men. Now the time has come when having a thin body is sought after by multiple ways while being fat is looked down upon and ridiculed, more for the aesthetic aspect than the health aspect of the same. Of course body shaming is not related to weight alone, it can be for any attribute of physical appearance, such as skin colour, height, femininity, shape of body etc.
Body shaming has become a part of our culture, and we all have accepted it. We see so many advertisements that prompt us to lose weight and look good. In daily soaps, plump characters are generally the base for many jokes. We see body shaming everywhere. Everyone around us does it – parents, friends, family members, colleagues. And this simple act of passing a negative remark on someone’s appearance can have a really negative impact on the mental health of that person.
In this modern age of social media, where anyone can post anything online from the veil of anonymity the internet offers, body shaming has become more prudent and common. It becomes like a kind of mass cyber bullying when it happens on the social media and targets an individual.
How does body shaming manifest?
Body shaming can manifest in different ways
1. Criticizing one’s own appearance by comparing with another person
2. Criticizing someone else’s appearance behind their back
3. Criticizing someone else’s appearance on their face.
What are the types of body shaming?
There are various ways in which a person can be body shamed.
1. Weight:- Weight is the commonest reason for being body shamed, for either being ‘too fat’ or even for being ‘too thin’ or ‘too skinny’. This is also called fat shaming. Comments can range from how a fat person can’t fit somewhere a normal person can, or needing a larger size of dress, or having a huge appetite. For thin individuals, the comments can be about food, whether or not they really eat anything etc. Commenting badly about somebody’s weight can have a very bad impact on their psychological well-being.
2. Height:- Comments may be passed based on someone’s height, especially if someone is too tall or too short. These comments generally end up being hurtful to the person.
3. Age:- Aging is something that doesn’t stop for anyone. As we age, the emotional, physical and psychological signs of aging begin to manifest. Generally, the targets of this type of age shaming’ are the elderly people. They may be taunted for being too old for wearing make up or being too old to enjoy with younger generation.
4. Hair:- Hair shaming is also very common. Long, silky, shiny straight hair is considered to be perfect, or ideal, and any deviation from the above can result in being taunted. The comments may be about the texture of hair, the length of hair or even the colour of hair. Bald people are also made aware of their baldness, using them as a source for jokes.
5. Food:- Shaming can be in the form of comments about the food one eats. Usually the fat people are food shamed for consuming something which is rich in calories, comments such as they should refrain from eating that kind of food are passed.
6. Clothes:- People are often shamed based on the clothes they wear. Certain label brands promote their clothing line being suitable only for a certain body type, thus shaming those who don’t possess that kind of body. Certain clothes are considered classy, while certain clothes are considered cheap. And comments may be made based on these assumptions.
7. Personality or attractiveness Personality of an individual or how attractive a person looks based on assumptions accepted by the society may be the basis for shaming an individual.
8. Masculinity/Femininity
Men may be shamed for being more feminine and women can be shamed for being more masculine.
What are the ill-effects of body shaming?
Body shaming can have deep and long lasting psychological effect on the victim. It may result in a number of mental health issues such as:
a) Eating disorders – Anorexia nervosa or binge eating disorder
b) Body dysmorphic syndrome
c) Anxiety and panic attacks
d) Depression
e) Low self worth and self esteem
f) Risk of suicide
g) Poor quality of life
How to deal with body shaming?
• Body shaming is basically a kind of bullying. The victim should understand that he or she is being body shamed, and that it is not his or her fault.
• First and foremost thing is to understand body neutrality. The concept of body neutrality is accepting the body as it is, without being judgmental. The body here implies our own body as well as others bodies. Understanding body neutrality focuses on the positive aspects of body and has shown to have positive mental impact.
• Just like charity begins at home, we should be aware of what we speak about our own as well as somebody else’s body. An introspection into our own speaking habits can lead us to realize whether we ourselves pass any such comments that can account for body shaming.
• Support others who get body shamed, especially on the internet. Help stop cyber bullying and body-shaming by opposing negative remarks targeted to anyone’s body.
• If someone is body shaming you, talk to someone. Speaking to someone you trust and rely on is very important. Introspect and analyze why that person’s statements are making you feel hurt. Once you accept body neutrality, your own reaction to such statements will be reduced.
• Do not tolerate any kind of bullying, cyber or otherwise. If you feel the need, take help of authorities as well as the guidance of a psychologist who can guide you through the way to recovery.
