If you have a friend or a partner who is fat, you’ve probably often noticed them upset and angry because a certain someone made a mean comment about their weight or body size.
While we love our fat friends and partners with all our hearts and we never make such comments, it is important for us to understand here that society isn’t so understanding.
People can be really ruthless and there’s no denying that. No matter how many times you tell your plus-sized friend or partner how beautiful they are and how they don’t need to change anything about themselves, comments from strangers and other people in their lives can make them really uncomfortable in their own skin.
In such situations, you can be a better ally and great support for them. There’s so much you can do to help your bigger friends survive in this world that is full of discrimination and double standards.
Here are a few things you can do in your power to be a good friend and a better support system.
It Is Time to Step Up
In a world where being fat or larger than the average size is considered to be a crime or a sin, we need to provide as much support to such people as possible, whether they are a friend, a colleague, a partner, a relative, or even a random stranger.
Many of us don’t realise it and can’t relate to it, but moving through this world or the society in a fat body is not an easy task. It’s especially difficult when all that these people get to hear are things like, ‘count your calories’, ‘stop stuffing your face’ and ‘it’s time you start losing some of that weight!’, just to name a few.
But now, it is time to stop this kind of ridiculing and fat-shaming! We all need to step up, be there for our fat friends, and fight alongside them as they tell the world that being fat is not a crime!
Here are some things you can do to be a genuine and sincere admirer and ally to your friends who go through this on a daily basis.
Call Out All Fat-Shamers
The next time you hear anyone hurling derogatory words or phrases at your friend, make sure to call them out, and even school them if need be on how they shouldn’t be fat-shaming others. You need to let them know that what they’re saying is mean and simply insensitive.
Promote Body Positivity
A great way to help our plus-sized friends is by motivating them on a daily basis and promoting the concept of body-positivity in front of them. Get them to seek inspiration from plus-sized celebrities who are greatly advocating the importance of “loving yourself the way you are”. One popular influencer, in this case, is Megan Jayne Crabbe, who is a great body activist and has long been spreading messages of love and positivity.
Stop with the Fat-Phobia
Individuals with bigger bodies are always made the centre of stigmatisation; they are shamed, oppressed, mocked and ridiculed just because they aren’t ‘thin’ or ‘size zero’ according to societal constructs. You need to realise that as a product of a fat-phobic society, even if you love your plus-sized partners or friends, you will inevitably have problematic moments. You, as an individual, and as an ally to your friends, need to put an end to this fat-phobia by creating awareness and telling people to stop this kind of stereotyping.
On a personal level, we should all stop passing hurtful remarks and perpetuating stereotypes, imposing our views on what they should eat or acting like we know more about their body needs than they do.
Tell Them Big is Beautiful
Along with having their body size ridiculed, your friends probably get told by others that they aren’t attractive because they’re fat. You probably don’t even realise the emotional and mental impact that these hurtful comments and opinions have on these people. So, if you really want to do something about it and be a better, more supportive friend, tell your fat friends that big is beautiful. Throw a positive light on the whole idea of BBW- Big Beautiful Woman, or BHM – Big Handsome Man.
There are numerous body-positive movements and stop-fat-shaming activists that are trying and fighting for their rights to exist in peace without being fat-and-body shamed. It is time we all did the same because our friends need all the support that they can get from us!
Article image: Photo featuring plus-size models by Michael Poley of Poley Creative for AllGo, publisher of free stock photos featuring plus-size people.
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