Another person’s weight is none of our business 

It should go without saying that someone’s body and weight are none of your business. Yet, everyone seems to have an opinion on the figures of celebrities. 

‘Bridgerton’ star Nicola Coughlan posted a mirror selfie with part of the caption reading, “So just a thing- if you have an opinion about my body please, please don’t share it with me.” 

She goes on to say, “I am just one real-life human being and it’s really hard to take the weight of thousands of opinions on how you look being sent directly to you every day.”

Posts like these represent a greater issue at hand; the reality is that plus-size people are often dehumanized and treated far worse than those considered to be skinny. 

In a research study conducted by Inge Kersbergen and Eric Robinson entitled “Blatant Dehumanization of People with Obesity”, they investigate whether or not fat people are considered less than human. 

Disappointingly they found that their hypothesis was correct. “This tendency to consider people with obesity as less human reveals the level of obesity stigma and may facilitate and/or justify weight discrimination.”

Coughlan’s experience of people offering their opinion on her body and weight is not uncommon in Hollywood. Lizzo is constantly in the news because people analyze her eating habits, exercise and body. 

What Lizzo decides to eat is none of our business. She received a lot of backlash regarding her juice cleanse. She knows what is right for her body, and any diet she chooses to do one is her own business. All the fat-shaming that people receive continues to negatively impact health, not improve it as some incorrectly believe.  

The common argument that plus-size representation encourages people to be fat is utterly unfounded in scientific evidence. The conclusions drawn by the aforementioned study are likely correct about the dehumanization of obese people. Plus-size representation is good for society because it forces us to humanize others. 

Plus size women will receive backlash for their weight no matter their actual size, as demonstrated by Adele. She received backlash for losing weight because she was no longer “good representation.” 

Those words will likely be a vapor in the wind to the person who commented on it, but it will stick with the person you spoke about and could stick with them for the rest of their life. 

Essentially, plus-size people just can’t win. 

Even though I am not plus-size, I can still relate to inadequacy when it comes to body image. I can hardly eat out or just enjoy a meal without having negative thoughts about myself or eating. 

I am trying to build a healthier relationship with food, but it is really hard. And if I am skinny by societal standards, I can imagine how much worse it is for people who are considered plus size. 

I think that all men and women probably struggle with food at some point. It lends more credence to the theory that we, as a society, don’t like overweight people. We have a fear of being treated the way we see fat people treated. 

The reality is that fat people have been around since the beginning of time and will likely continue to be for the rest of human history. It is normal. Making comments about someone’s weight speaks poorly of the moral character of the commenter, not the person you comment about. 

Those words will likely be a vapor in the wind to the person who commented on it, but it will stick with the person you spoke about and could stick with them for the rest of their life. 

I still can recall hurtful words that girls would say to me in grade school about my figure, hair or skin. Don’t comment on people’s physical appearance; it’s not your business. You’re not helping anyone.