Hi Musers. Today’s post comes from a place of a bit of anger and a lot of sadness. In this day and age why is commenting on someone else’s weight still seen as ok? It’s not but it seems the world at large hasn’t got the memo.

My idea for this post was sparked by two separate posts from influencers I follow. In the first, the poster had the wonderful news she was pregnant. Unfortunately, she was left in tears throughout her appointment with a midwife. What should have been a happy, joyful event was ruined by this entirely unprofessional person. They made comments like “you need to tape up the chocolate box and do more Joe Wicks”, “I know it’s hard.. we’d all like to be a size 12′, and “have you thrown out the Christmas snacks yet?” This makes my blood boil. They had absolutely no right to make those comments.

Another poster was merely walking along the street only to have a complete stranger walk up to her and inform her she was too fat to wear leggings. WTF is wrong with people? It’s completely socially unacceptable now to criticise someone for looking gay, wearing ethnic clothes or being transgender. Somehow it’s still ok to bash fat people though. It’s like we’re asking for it. Not considered to be human beings with feelings. This. Is. Not. Right! It has to stop NOW.

Being Medically Trained Does Not Make You God

Before I start I want to say that I know there are lots of wonderful and compassionate people working in medicine. My Mum was a nurse for over 30 years. Some of them, however, like this midwife and other doctors I’ve read about, feel like their training justifies them to present their own biases and opinions as fact. They’re not. In the case of doctors, the nutritional part of their training amounts to a few days at most.

I know it’s hard but we need to learn to push back when faced with this behaviour. It is not acceptable. Ever. I’ve refused to be weighed on numerous occasions. Luckily the nurses I’ve seen accepted it. Some don’t. We need to argue when doctors try to blame any and every health complaint on our weight. Challenge them to consider other ideas. Ask for the facts that they’re basing this opinion on. If they won’t then consider lodging a complaint and possibly moving practices. I know this sounds awful but until we do this treatment will continue.

it’s a huge problem because it’s not just about upsetting people. Medical fatphobia can be life-threatening. Cancer diagnoses have been missed because doctors were to content to blame everything wrong with a fat person on their weight.

If You Can’t Say Something Nice Don’t Say Anything At All

It’s something we’re told as children but we all need to start taking it more to heart. It does not matter what size a person is commenting on someone else’s weight is wrong. It’s nasty and prejudiced. There are a million different reason someone may be fat and you know nothing about their circumstances so please do the world a favour and keep it zipped ok? If you’re already body-positive then you can take it even further. If you have the confidence then please, please call out fat-shaming and fatphobia wherever you see it, in real life or online. It’s only when we make it as unacceptable as homophobia or racism that it will stop. We ALL deserve to live happy lives free of bias, hateful comments and harassment. We’ll only make it happen by working together. Let’s make a pledge today to try and build a better world.

Feel free to pop your pledge or comment below 👇 or contact me if you’d like to share your own experiences.

Love CMoo xx