Women and weight

The never dying issue of women and their weight. Since we could process information on our own we are surrounded by reminders that we need to stay thin because that’s the norm. If you are overweight, you are screwed. Mainly during the teenage years girls are most vulnerable to criticism because with puberty girls gain some weight. However, some gain more than others and that’s how the name-calling and mocking starts. And while for some children is very funny to laugh at other children, the latter take it seriously and start dieting, and unfortunately some girls never stop.

Since I could remember I have been careful what and I how much I eat. I have never been overweight, but my goal was never to be. And even though I am against the whole “Women who are overwight are ugly” I still freak out if I gain a couple of pounds. Is it hypocracy from my side? Maybe.

All this came to my mind today after reading an email from one of my best friends back in BG. She has been on diets for years and she has been having issues with weight for a long time. So now she is really depressed because she has never been so heavy as she is now and she feels disgusted with herself. I just think it is sad that we forget everything else around us and our whole world starts going around our appearance. She is a great smart woman, but she uses her weight as a measure of who she is I replied to her with a long email with some ideas how to try to get distracted from the weight question and love herself for what she is, but I don’t know how much that will help.

It just makes me sad…