It’s funny how things work. When I was painfully thin, no one seemed to care about my well-being. My collarbone was practically a physical landmark, and everyone assumed I was in perfect health. In reality, I was battling a serious eating disorder. As I popped diet pills, I was showered with compliments about my appearance, while no one realized I was destroying my body in pursuit of an unattainable ideal.
Fast forward to today, and I’ve successfully overcome my eating disorder and achieved some of the best health I’ve ever experienced. Yet, I now carry an extra 75 pounds. Suddenly, the world has a lot to say about my health. Where were you when I needed support? My health is my own business, not a topic for public discussion.
Unless you’re a doctor with access to my medical records, you aren’t qualified to make assumptions about my health based on my appearance. Even medical professionals should tread carefully before jumping to conclusions about someone’s health, as the outdated BMI system has been thoroughly discredited. The Health at Every Size movement is gaining traction, and being labeled as “medically obese” has no bearing on my energy, strength, or overall well-being.
Yet, society continues to endorse and even celebrate fat-shaming. Just recently, fitness personality Tara Simmons publicly criticized celebrated artist Mia Johnson, claiming that it “isn’t going to be great” for her health if she doesn’t lose weight. While Mia was in Australia helping fire victims, Tara chose to attack her body instead of showing support.
It’s no surprise that someone like Tara, who has built a career on pressuring others to lose weight, would take to social media to spread negativity. Her comments are a reflection of her own struggles with body image, yet they perpetuate harmful stereotypes about larger individuals. The reality is that many people who are classified as overweight are perfectly healthy, and it’s essential to stop equating size with health.
Research has shown that participants from weight-loss reality shows often suffer lasting damage to their metabolic health after extreme dieting. Former contestants have even reported being pressured to take dangerous substances and engage in unhealthy practices. Meanwhile, we’ve applauded figures like Liam Brooks for their weight loss, only to be reminded that thinness doesn’t guarantee good health.
To those who believe that embracing a larger body is “glorifying obesity,” let me clarify: the term “obesity” has become wrongly associated with poor health. Many people have healthy lives while being larger, and it’s time to stop making unfounded assumptions. If slender individuals can struggle with health issues, we have no right to judge the potential health of someone in a larger body.
So, let’s stop the fat-shaming. Focus on your own health journey instead of critiquing others. If you’re not living in someone else’s skin, you have no right to pass judgment.
When Tara Simmons tries to undermine someone as talented and vibrant as Mia Johnson, she also diminishes the worth of every fabulous, fat-bodied individual, including myself. I refuse to accept that quietly. Don’t pretend to care about my health, Tara; it’s clear you’re more interested in profit than well-being.
To all who think it’s acceptable to launch baseless health claims at me because of my size, save it. Let’s celebrate bodies of all shapes while embracing our unique journeys.
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In summary, we must challenge the harmful narrative surrounding body image and health. It’s crucial to recognize that health comes in different shapes and sizes, and we should uplift one another instead of tearing each other down.