Fat vs. Self Esteem, round one - DING

Okay, it’s time to revive this blog. I’ve been neglecting it for far too long and I have plenty left to talk about. So to bring things back with a bang, I give to you a rant. Ok, let’s do this!

I pose to you this question: Why do people assume just because a person is fat that they automatically have poor self esteem?

Wake up people! Not all fat people “eat their feelings.” Is bad self image and self esteem common in fat folks? Sure. But it’s by NO means a guarantee. In fact there are just as many thin people with self esteem issues. Observe any playground and you’ll see.

We all know from our grade school days that anyone who was a little bit different or a little out of the norm was subject to ridicule from the other kids. Whether you were fat, had glasses or braces, or were just a little bit weird, it all gave your peers an opportunity to make themselves feel better by putting you down.

I was one of those kids, and while grade school was like a hell at times I don’t regret a minute of it. Hey, it made me who I am today, and I love who I am today. I’m a proud, confident, FAT girl and I make no apologies for it.

So that’s why I get a little irked when people mistake my confidence for some sort of mask that’s covering up hidden insecurities. Not to say I don’t have insecurities. Everyone has insecurities. No one is 100% confident all the time. But just because I laugh at myself, or flirt, or dance, or show off my curves doesn’t mean I’m trying to draw attention to myself in order to make up for some self esteem problem. One time a youtube commenter flat out told me that “inside I’m crying.” No, inside I’m laughing at your very rude (and very wrong) assumptions.

The question I asked in the beginning is a little rhetorical. I know why so many people think that fat people, especially fat women, have self esteem issues. It’s conditional. Like almost every fat-focused faux paus, the media plays a big part. It’s all about the image expressed to the world. How many shows do you see with fat people pouring their heart out with tears and regrets? Now, think about how many shows you see with confident and genuinely happy fat people? A little unbalanced? Yeah, I’d say so.

Think before you judge, people. That’s all I’m asking.

Aurora out.