Aug 21, 2018
We're all guilty of it.
We see someone on the internet, or at a reunion, or at the gym, and
we notice that they've lost weight. We congratulate them, we ask
them what they've been doing, we tell them they look great.
What's so bad about that?
When all we do is preoccupy ourselves with others' weight- whether
that's weight loss or lack thereof, we continue to fulfill the
narrative that it's the most important thing about us.
We fail to recognize that our weight is the least important thing
about us. When we can't see that for other people, that means we
can't see that in ourselves either.
What about the women who are lifting weights, eating well, and
their body never shrinks into a societal standard? Is that not to
be celebrated? Is that not to be recognized? Is that not good
enough?
What if the woman you just complimented for her weight loss is
miserable? What if she's malnourished, feeling obsessive over her
calorie intake, and hasn't enjoyed herself in months because she's
so scared she'll gain weight? Is that still worthy of praise?
The divide continues. Women who achieve weight loss get more praise
for women who pursue strength. Women who deprive themselves are
seen as dedicated, driven, and motivated whereas women who are less
occupied with their size and scale are... ignored? Given a silent
pat on the back?
It needs to stop.
And it can stop here.