October 2022

🌺 Body Positivity Series: 🌼 Fat-Shaming, Skinny-Shaming and Rosacea 🌸

Loving our bodies and ourselves is something that should come naturally, right?

We are constantly told that we should love and accept ourselves as we are and yet, we get bombarded by images and ideas about the “ideal body”, the “perfect kind of hair”, the way our skin “should” look and the way we “should” be in order to be accepted by society and by others.

We still haven’t reached an ideal world, where as long as somebody is happy and healthy, nothing else matters. We still haven’t managed to get rid of the body shamers, who want to convince us that our weight, skin, hair, and our appearance as a whole defines us. That’s why it’s crucial that we support and uplift each other every single day. It’s vital that we make body positivity one of our top priorities. People truly underestimate the impact body shamers can have on an individual’s mental health and life.

Essentially, the term “body image” refers to how we perceive, think and feel about our bodies. Our thoughts surrounding this topic affect us way more than we think, and researchers, mental health advocates and society as a whole are beginning to open up the conversation about this. I’m sure I can’t be the only one when I say “Finally!”. It’s a long-overdue discussion that needs to keep going.

According to research, feeling dissatisfied with your body has been linked with a lower quality of life, psychological distress and the risk of unhealthy eating habits and eating disorders.¹

We think the more stories we share, the more people will realize that they are not alone and the more awareness we can spread. We have created this series of stories in order for you to hear about others’ experiences and learn more about the different struggles that they have faced and how they managed to overcome these insecurities.

‍

‍Nadiyah:

Ever since growing up, I have suffered from rosacea, which is red blemishes and spots on your face. Throughout my school years, I felt extremely insecure about how I looked, especially because I had quite fair skin, so the redness was very visible. I felt like all the girls around me had flawless skin at school. My family members would always comment and make remarks about my red patches and spots. I honestly hated it and blamed myself for how I looked….

“So, my advice to someone feeling insecure about their skin, especially their face, is that you aren’t alone and there is definitely someone going through something similar.”

One day, I was on Instagram and saw a woman who had the same blemishes as me. That’s when I discovered rosacea and I found out my condition was very common. I normally wear foundation as my safety net but since the pandemic, I made it my priority to work on controlling my rosacea and wear less makeup. I did loads of research into rosacea and found products that really helped my skin. I feel confident and happy with my skin, and I never thought I would ever feel that.

So, my advice to someone feeling insecure about their skin, especially their face, is that you aren’t alone and there is definitely someone going through something similar. Don’t beat yourself up about how you look because it isn’t your fault. We all have insecurities and some people are better at hiding them. Take time and understand your insecurities and research about it online, because you will definitely find someone going through it.

- NADIYAH

‍

Meena:

Growing up I’ve had many insecurities, but if I had to pin it down to the one which caused me the most anxiety for the longest time, it would have to be – weight.

Since my teenage years, I’ve always been on the bigger side and being obsessed with the way others would see me made me want to hide and run away. Whether at home, with cousins, or at school, with friends, I couldn’t help but compare and calculate my size. In the places I should have felt the most comfortable, the most like myself, I felt the most out of place. Negative thoughts would run wild in my mind and that ruined many moments for me. Day by day, month by month, year by year my self-confidence was diminishing.

“Constantly comparing myself to others and defining my worth based on my appearance was poison.”

But then… a turning point came when I realised what was really troubling me wasn’t how others viewed me, but how I viewed myself. It wasn’t about what others thought of me, it was what I thought of myself. This shift in perspective helped me to open my eyes… And I saw that the people I felt the most insecure around saw me as beautiful, saw me for who I was and loved me for who I was. Constantly comparing myself to others and defining my worth based on my appearance was poison. So as my mindset became more healthy, I became happier. Accept your body and love yourself because you are the most precious person to yourself.

- MEENA

‍

Anonymous:

I’ve always had a generally positive relationship with food and my body. For as long as I can remember, spending several months of my year in my seaside village meant that I loved fresh food and the outdoors. I thought myself to be lucky that I developed these habits from an early age.

It wasn’t until around the age of 12 that people around me, including family, started making comments about my weight. I was the skinny one who had no curves, looked unhealthy and wasn’t “feminine” enough. I was compared to everyone else as the one who isn’t woman enough, the one who isn’t attractive enough. The one whose health will suffer because I was too slim.

Much later, in my late teens, I realized it wasn’t my weight and health they were worried about. It was my appearance. Because in today’s society, everything is about appearance. Just like people assume that chubbier women are unhealthy, the same principle applies to really slim girls. We are thought to judge everything based on appearances. So, I quickly realized that it’s others’ unhealthy judgements and skewed interpretations that were being projected onto me.

“There is beauty in difference. Our world would be really boring if we were all the same.”

The biggest lesson I’ve learnt is to be happy that I am someone who prioritizes health. I don’t see size – skinny, curvy, average? Who cares! I don’t bother obsessing with numbers. I am interested in health. And so should you. Science says it – you can put 10 different women on the same diet and exercise regime, and they will still come out looking different. There is beauty in difference. Our world would be really boring if we were all the same. Love your body, take care of yourself, and you will never regret it!

- ANONYMOUS

What is your story? Do you have someone that inspires you to love yourself and how did you overcome your insecurities? Comment below and share this with friends, so that we can spread self-love and acceptance. You are beautiful! Keep being you.

Stay tuned, more body positivity posts are yet to come!

With love,

Moments Unfolded

‍