He lack the ideal six-pack, but body shames
A man sitting near a wall in a conference hall kept a look out for women to pass as he sat along a passage. His rowdy comments were to check whether the space was big enough for them to pass. As one woman passed, he was shocked that she managed to go through and clumsily inquired: “So, you, managed? I thought the space wasn’t big enough.” Soon after, the second woman got stuck, prompting him to shift his chair inward to create room. “You see why I asked?’ He grinned triumphantly and with self-validation, having proved a point that most women are too fat and require ‘special’ treatment.
I took offence. The woman that got stuck seemed to have no problems with this silent attack. I read through his mind for body shaming women or assuming that he had the perfect body structure, God’s gift to mankind, assigned to the fate of the ‘unfortunate’.
The tendency to look out for body structures and comment about their sizes must stop. Nobody asked to be the way they are. It’s strange and annoying that the very people that seek ideal bodies lack them, i.e. a six-pack in men and an hour glass shape in women. This sickens me.
For starters, plumpness or skinniness is not an ailment. There is no need for special treatment. Nobody feels pain because of their body size and I believe they never ask for special treatment for being the way they are. If one cannot pass through a given space, she/he will ask to be excused. If not, people should learn to mind their own business. It’s offensive and some are already struggling to either lose or gain weight. They do not need to be reminded about their appearances.
I am also talking to those people who, instead of a normal greeting, rush to comment about how much weight one has shed or gained, how much their complexions have changed or the number of pimples on people’s faces.
If you have nothing nice to say, greet and be on your way. Ignore a subject for its better that any offensive remark that may shutter one’s ego.
Recently, Frist Lady Monica Chakwera attended a meeting about cyber-crime organised by the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority. She admitted to being bullied for her looks, but she has developed a thick skin to discredit her tormentors.
Listen, nobody has to go through any form of judgement. Insecure people and failures want to abuse others for their fulfilment. Any respectable person knows their boundary and should be sensitive to other people’s feelings. Anyone outside this description is not worthy anybody’s sorrow and unhappiness. Let’s learn to accept ourselves the way we are, inclusive of flaws because nobody is perfect. If there is anybody who has a problem with the way we look, let them solve that problem because it is not our territory.
