I get irrationally pissed off seeing or hearing people tell someone who is overweight and who has identified eating disorder issues that they just need to count calories or work a little harder and the weight will just come right off.
IT IS NOT ABOUT THE WEIGHT, PEOPLE!!!!
The weight is a symptom. The awful body image and low self esteem is a symptom.
It makes me insane when people lump eating disorders in with lack of self control. In many cases it's the exact opposite.
Just because I'm overweight it doesn't give you permission to judge me and how and why I look the way I do. You have no idea and would have no idea. I make it my mission in life for people to not see that. The judgements create this climate of shame - like you're not even worthy of getting help because clearly you're just a lazy slob. Even if that's not what people say, that's what they're saying.
I know this is an uphill battle against a ridiculous social norm. I know I will not be able to change it all. My goal is to open people's eyes, one by one, through my story and my example. I'll be that thorn in their side with gentle and not so gentle reminders that there are a LOT of people out there and every single one of us lives our own story and our own truth.
No one needs to try make their truth MINE. CHances are, theirs is complete garbage anyway. It may be Utopian and unrealistic, but I will hold out hope for a society who can stop making assumptions about the very make up of others' souls simply based on their body shape. And if I'm holding society to it, no better way than to continue to hold myself to it.
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