Trigger warning: eating disorder.
Throughout my teenage years, I was heavily involved in cheerleading. While I spent some time with my high school team, the majority of my experience was with a traveling squad. The uniform I wore was a two-piece that made me feel uneasy, as I constantly tried to conceal any perceived flaws in my body and lacked a body-positive mindset.
I can’t shake the memory of my coach bellowing, “Jones! For heaven’s sake, suck in that gut!” The laughter of my teammates echoed around me, yet I didn’t find it amusing. I was on my period, feeling bloated and down on myself—physically and emotionally. Regardless of my circumstances, I was just a young girl being publicly shamed for my appearance by an adult in front of twenty others. Unbeknownst to them, I had already made myself vomit before practice, and his comment triggered a desire to do so again.
Insecurity about my body has been a constant in my life. Although I wasn’t overweight, I also wasn’t extremely thin. My ideal was to be petite, as it seemed that those girls garnered more attention from boys and even seemed favored by teachers. I believed that the only acceptable body type was a slim one.
I can’t pinpoint the exact moment I developed an eating disorder, but it was a gradual decline fueled by years of negative self-perception. It wasn’t until adulthood that I recognized I had no role models demonstrating what body positivity looked like.
My childhood wasn’t particularly bad—my mom was supportive and never criticized my weight. She frequently told me how beautiful I was. Yet those words felt hollow; as a teenager, I dismissed them, saying, “You have to say that.”
I watched my mother struggle with her own body image, cycling through diets and expressing dissatisfaction when clothes fit too snugly. She often hid behind me in photographs to obscure what she deemed her “problem areas.” As I matured, her insecurities became mine; I began to see her complaints reflected in my own body. How could I see myself as beautiful when I noticed a belly pouch that mirrored the one she had lamented for years?
Many children lack adults who can teach them about body positivity. I’m not blaming parents; we live in a society that dictates we should be thin, but not too thin. We should be curvy, yet not excessively so. Parents can’t impart what they themselves do not possess. We must find ways to break this cycle, and schools are ideal environments for instilling positivity in children.
Children spend a significant portion of their time in school, which often fosters negative perceptions about body image. Classrooms should adopt a zero-tolerance policy for body shaming. Educators must actively monitor these dynamics, as bullying based on appearance leads to serious mental health issues, eating disorders, and even suicides.
It’s time to eliminate BMI tracking in physical education classes. Educational materials, toys, apps, and media should reflect diverse shapes, sizes, and ethnicities. Teachers should refrain from discussing their diets in the classroom. Remember, diet culture is toxic! Unrealistic beauty standards need to be pointed out when encountered in educational settings. Moreover, dress codes should focus less on gender and body type, as it unfairly targets specific groups.
It’s challenging for kids to navigate their identities, especially when they possess bodies that differ from societal norms. The best way to foster a body-positive environment may be to avoid talking about individual bodies altogether. Allow children to lead these conversations, ensuring you are prepared to respond in a way that won’t leave them feeling hurt.
Kids deserve a space where they can escape a world that constantly tells them they are not enough. They need educators who affirm that they have the right to occupy as much or as little space as they choose. Our focus should be on teaching them that their appearance and size are not burdens.
All shapes, sizes, and colors contribute equal value to our world.
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