Fat Shaming Week

Over the last few days, I have noticed more and more people talking about ‘#FatShamingWeek’ which seems to actually be becoming a thing on the likes on Instagram and Twitter. Thankfully the people i follow on social media are people who would never agree with something like this, but I couldn’t help be curious….. Yes, I clicked  the dreaded ‘#FatShamingWeek’ links a few days ago.


I am lucky in that I am not affected by these strangers on the internet being keyboard warriors about fat people. I am very happy in my skin and some people starting some kind of hate campaign online will have no bearing on me or my life. But I have to say, I was flabbergasted by the way some people spoke about fat people! Yes, PEOPLE! You’re talking about people just like you – who are brothers, sisters, wives, husbands, mums and dad. Who live their life and fight for survival, they just happen to do it in a bigger clothing size!

So. I clicked off and left it at that, unaffected really other than a little sadness. 


Then today I noticed something wonderful happening. The women on my social media were posting their posts with the #FatShamingWeek attached to them. Photos of women (and probably men, though I haven’t any on my feed) of all shapes and sizes claiming back the FatShamingWeek tag. Plus sized women posting photos of them out there LIVING LIFE! That’s right, while these keyboard warriors are starting a hate campaign these fat women are out there seeing friends, going to the beach, working hard, having children, getting married, falling in love and falling apart! All of it – they just happen to do it in a bigger clothing size.


The question is – does fat shaming work? Absolutely not! If we could be bullied into being smaller, thinner, LESS fat then there would be no teenagers crying themselves to sleep because they’re being bullied for their waist size, there would be no fat people walking with their heads held high into high street stores to buying clothing to fit their bodies! Fat shaming does not work and I don’t see how a Twitter and Instagram campaign will do anything other than show peoples real colours.


If I saw anyone commenting on Fat Shaming Week to say that it was right – I would delete them immediately  I would hope that anyone (fat or thin) or also saw this would do the same. We’re a nation that knows the very damaging affects of bullying, so why do we let it continue?


Please, please do not let yourself be affected by the hurtful words that have been said under some false pretence to shame you into having a healthier body. Do not let yourself be beaten down by people who have no bearing on your life and who will not shape your future. Live your life and fill it with loving people who don’t care about the size of your jeans. Ignore the haters, they’ll always be there. But while you move on and live life, they’ll still be there trying to think of the next twitter Hashtag they can think of to try and shame people into being ‘perfect’.

Cheers!


Debz xx

Debz Louise

Debz Louise is a plus-size blogger based in Yorkshire. Behind many nationwide campaigns such as #WeaAreTheThey & winner of Best Blogger at the UK Plus Size Awards, she talkas about life as a plus-size 40-something woman in South Yorkshire.