Please Shut Up About Other People’s Body Positivity

by Laurie Riihimaki

With this whole #BodyPositive Movement that’s sweeping all of our Insta and Twitter feeds everyone has something to say. And it usually isn’t very nice. Didn’t your mothers teach you to keep your mouths shut if you couldn’t say anything nice?

Over our short time on this earth, we have come to realize that everyone has an opinion on everything – and this movement is no different. 

I have a friend, let’s call her Darla. Now, Darla is a skinny-minny. I’m talking, like, I could snap her like a pencil if I hugged her too hard and when we’re out to eat and she’s “starving”, she orders the watermelon salad and takes half home for her BF. And, like most women Darla thinks she is “chubs”, which she is so totally not (but, try telling that to Darla!). 

Anyway, to make herself feel better, in her spare time, she goes onto Insta and screenshots pics of girls who are curvier in form and sends them to me. She does this to try to lure me into critiquing them with her. Actually, more like bash them.

And, with the whole #BodyPositive movement in full swing, Darla has gone cuckoo – like, seriously fucking nuts. I get screenshots from her on the daily bashing these curvier women for loving themselves. Like, what? 

Essentially Darla is pissed off that these women like the way they look and are embracing their bodies. Though, of course, she won’t admit it. I just see the text bubbles … constantly swaying at the bottom of our thread and every minute there will be a new text saying something to the effect of, “That’s just gross” or “Her thighs are massive” and then more dot dot dots, until…

I start to dot dot dot and I say calmly to Darla, “Girl, why do you care?” But, really what I want to say is, “Darla, worry about YOU! Leave that girl alone.” Darla makes me feel like I’m on an episode of SVU and I am Olivia Benson trying to protect these young girls from being attacked via social media.

It’s all so stressful. Why are there people who feel the need to get all bent out of shape because someone else actually likes their body?

The thing is, Darla is NOT the only one doing this. I mean, seriously, even mainstream media is tearing women down saying this movement is a way for women to make excuses for an unhealthy lifestyle. And, I want to say the same thing to them – “Worry about YOU.” There is absolutely no reason to tear down another person’s image. 

Now, I’m going to carefully structure my rant and explain WHY Darla and the media are acting like a bunch of dipshits with natural medicine patches on their Girl Scout vests, spinach in their teeth, and 2% body fat.

Insecurity 

Ok, like Darla, people often attack others because they are insecure. They essentially hate themselves, so they decide to take it out on others. This is a terrible habit that needs to be broken. Like, are you an adult? 

You’re not Princess Tight-Ass. There will always be someone better than you no matter what. That’s not an excuse to attack people you think you’ve beaten in the imaginary hotness contest you think is happening 24/7. 

Grow up and stop trying to compete with other women. If you drop that disgusting habit, people might actually like you. It’s not your looks, girl. It’s your middle-school attitude. 

Boredom

Does anyone have an actual life now? Or, hobbies? Sewing, model planes, soccer, anyone? People need to get off their damn phones and find something to be interested in other than gossip, harsh slander, puppy videos, and funny memes.

Social media could be such a powerful and creative tool if only we let it, but there are too many fucking idiots in the world who want to use it for bad rather than good. Pick up a goddamn book, loser. And, stop calling out girls with back-fat.

These are people, not entertainment.  

The Need to Feel Included

Oh, the #BodyPositive Movement is trending on Twitter, so obviously you need to think up an opinion quick and say something Instaworthy. Or, not? Because not every conversation needs to include your voice? 

People think that if they weren’t involved with this BIG movement, then they aren’t relevant. It’s all about keeping their followers happy. 

So just fucking shut up, Darla.