Living in a world so focused on technology and social media makes it very easy and accessible for people to target and bully others. Bullies are hidden behind screens, protected by anonymity. Body shaming and fat shaming have become the most common types of bullying on social media. Body shaming is the “criticism of someone based on the shape, size, or appearance of their body”[1].

Constantly being watched and judged by the public eye makes celebrities prone to body shaming. On Thursday, September 27th, Twitter began to speak out against body shaming comments made against Luke Hemmings, band member of the Australian band 5 Seconds of Summer. Earlier that day, his bandmate, Calum Hood, posted a picture of Hemmings on his Instagram story, which he immediately took down after noticing the insulting comments being made. Some made comments regarding his weight, claiming that he was beginning to become “chubby” and compared him to a “chubby giraffe.” However, many others began to support Hemmings by spreading body positivity.

In a survey conducted by Fitrated, with over 1,000 men and women across the nation surveyed, it was found that 92.7% of women and 86.5% of men had been body shamed[2].  Body shaming has been linked to various mental health problems such as low self-esteem and eating disorders. Body shaming can be avoided by stopping the placement of unrealistic expectations on both women and men. In addition, teaching children at a young age that weight should not define one’s self-worth and beauty would strongly combat the growth of body shaming.

In turn, people should focus on body positivity. Realizing that all body types are beautiful in their own nature would promote self love and acceptance. People are more than their body shape and size, and acceptance permits us to see all of the beauty in the world and the diversity within it.

@hescmmings

https://twitter.com/hescmmings/status/1045507661666627586

“Body Shamed.” FitRated RSS, www.fitrated.com/resources/body-shamed/.

“Body Shaming Definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary.” Cambridge Dictionary, dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/body-shaming.