Many of us have been there: your friend is making uncomfortable comments about how fat they feel, how much weight someone gained over summer break, or going on about how much you both need to get to the gym.
There’s a name for this kind of talk, and it’s called body shaming. Body shaming (criticizing yourself or others because of some aspect of physical appearance) can lead to a vicious cycle of judgment and criticism.
Hopefully, someday, body shaming will be a thing of the past. In the meantime, what can we do to avoid body shaming when we’re with our friends? Below are some ways we can support each other to find and keep our self-love and self-acceptance in how we look and feel:
–Don’t use “skinny” as a compliment or “fat” as an insult. Instead, try to compliment each other on your brains, personality, and heart rather than what you look like.
–Don’t say “no, but…” whenever any of you receive a compliment. Just take it, marinate in it, and believe it.
–Always respect and support one another’s idea of beauty. We all have our own preferences, and it’s not our place to decide what they are for others.
–Don’t correct anyone’s fluidity in gender. How one identifies can change every day or even every few hours.
–Not into skinny jeans or crop tops? Let each other know that you don’t have to wear anything you don’t want to. Just because you don’t feel confident in a trend doesn’t mean you lose personality points. The way we dress displays how we express and describe ourselves. So go ahead and wear what you want, when you want to.
–Never make each other feel bad about food choices. Remember that it’s okay to treat yourself…
Read the rest of this article from our partner, Proud2BMe, by clicking here.
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