Thin shaming and the body acceptance debate

Recently (possibly due to it being bikini season) I have noticed a lot of thin shaming occurring across social media hidden under the pre-tense of promoting positive body image. 

 

Memes such as the above, along with slogans such as "real men like curve, only dogs go for bones" have featured heavily as of late on my Facebook timeline.

THIS IS STILL BODY SHAMING!

 I understand that eating disorders are on the rise and that we live in a society where women feel extreme amount of pressure to be a size 6 and have a thigh gap. I understand what this image is trying to promote. While its positive to encourage the idea that women don't have to diet and torture themselves thin, to assume that all thin women are thin by choice is an incorrect and a sweeping generalisation.

 

To tell someone they must be a size 14 in order to be considered a "real woman" is wrong. As is telling someone that no man will want them because they "aren't curvy enough". These sorts of attitudes are hypocritical and no better then fat shaming. Telling someone they are too thin is not different to telling someone they are too fat! Just because thin women are currently seen as being in a position of privilege does not mean that it is okay to take shots at their self esteem in order to boost your own. Maybe some people out there are a size 14 and are perfectly healthy but there are also people out there who are a size 6 and are just as healthy. Health is not a dress size. The way to promote positive body image is not to slam anyone who is a different size or body shape to the majority of society or the current aesthetic.

 

IF YOU'RE GOING TO PROMOTE BODY IMAGE YOU HAVE TO DO IT FOR ALL SIZES. YOU CANNOT TELL WOMEN THEY MUST BE A CERTAIN SIZE IN ORDER TO BE DESIRABLE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT SIZE THAT MAY BE.

 

Just remember, while being a size 6 is unattainable for some women, being a size 14 is just as unattainable to others. While going on a diet isn't necessarily going to make you thinner, eating more isn't necessarily going to make you larger.

 

 

 

 

 

Side note:

I have also seen online stores slammed for the decision to stock a size 4/6 as people are claiming this promotes a prepubescent female form as ideal. The law of supply and demand means that stores will stock whatever there is a market for. As online stores ship all around the world they have much larger market to cater to. The average size of women will vary greatly from country to country, as well as with socioeconomic rank. While the size 4/6 may not realistically apply to you, it may very well be appropriate for women in other countries.