How to Deal With & React to Body Shaming
Tips No matter who body shaming comes from, it can be hurtful. You can be body shamed by strangers, by people online, or by people you know. Everyone is susceptible to body shaming, as you can be body shamed for your size, your hairstyle, your skin color, or what you look like, just to name a few. Whoever is behind it, you can find ways to help you take control of the situation, by figuring out ways to respond to strangers, people online, and acquaintances alike. Things You Should Know · Call strangers out on their rude behavior by saying something like, “My body is none of your business.” Or, simply ignore their comment. · Respond to online comments politely, like, “Thanks for your opinion, but I love the way I am.” Don’t resort to negativity and block any trolls. · Tell friends and family that their comments hurt you right after they say them. Or, sit them down later to tell them how their words are affecting you. Before I continue sharing this with you all bear in mind that we need to learn more about this topic especially as this is quite common than we think that many face or will face sometime in their lives of body shaming as this again is a type of bullying that makes the victim feel inferior and so small just because of someone else name calling/shaming them and other labels that comes into play here that may play/act havoc for the victim themselves. Once, this happens this can be difficult to break, and with some tips and advice along the way for you all I hope that this will shed some light and help you or someone that you know that is going through this. Method1: Responding to Strangers 1 Practice ahead of time. If people commonly comment on certain parts of your body, it can help if you practice a response to those comments. For instance, if people often comment negatively about your weight, think up responses you can use later. That way, you won’t be caught off guard. For instance, you could say, “My weight is none of your business,” or “I like my hair just the way it is, thank you. 2. Call the person out on it. One way you can deal with body shaming from strangers is to simply call the person out on it. You don’t have to take rude comments, even if they are from strangers, and calling a person out may make you feel better about the situation because you’re taking control. For instance, if someone says, “Should you be ordering that? Do you really need those calories?” you could say, “I don’t appreciate you commenting on my eating habits. My body, my choice.”However, if the person seems aggressive, it may be best to move on to ignoring them, particularly if you’re in a secluded place. Safety should always come first. 3. Ignore them. One option is to just ignore the rude comment. You don’t have to respond, and responding only gives the person the attention they want. Plus, when you don’t respond, you give the person a chance to think about what they said when ignoring a person, don’t even look in their direction. Pretend like you don’t even hear what they’re saying. 4. Don’t let it get to you. While it’s never okay for someone to comment on your body, you can decide if you want to let their negativity get to you. Remember, it’s usually more about the other person than it is about you. Try to detach yourself from their comments and negativity. Don’t give them the satisfaction of knowing that they got under your skin. Imagine a window between you and the other person. You can see that they’re making a negative comment, but the negativity can’t actually reach you. Method 2: Coping With Body-Shaming Online Don’t stoop to their level. On the internet, it can be tempting to resort to name-calling and personal attacks. However, that doesn’t get you anywhere; it just brings you down to their level. Stick to responding to what they say, not attacking them or calling them names. For instance, if someone says, “You have an ugly nose,” it doesn’t help to reply, “You’re one to talk; your face would stop traffic.” Instead, you could say, “Thanks, I like my nose. Thankfully, my opinion of myself isn’t dependent on your opinion of me.” 2. Try not to torture yourself by reading the comments. If you’re body-shamed online, you may find yourself wanting to dive into the comment section. However, if you read and re-read those comments, you’re only going to hurt yourself. Instead, try to skip reading comments you know will be terrible from past experience, and if you do come across a negative comment, stop reading as soon as you realize it’s body shaming. 3. Deal with private messages. Some people may not try to take you down in public forums. Rather, they’ll use private messages to get under your skin. This method is particularly sneaky, as they keep themselves from looking bad, plus you don’t have any support. Once again, it’s best not to stoop to their level. Tell the person to stop messaging you. You could say, “That’s a great opinion, but I’m happy with who I am. Please stop messaging me.” If they don’t stop, try blocking the person. You can block people on most social media platforms. You can also add the person to a blocked email list on your email account, so they can’t send you emails. Another option is to report abuse. Most websites will kick off users who abuse other members of the site. 4. Don’t feed the trolls. This saying has become a common one on the internet for good reason. It just means don’t give mean people what they want: attention. Some people are just trying to stir up