Source: Reddit
I have recently lost a lot of weight. I’ve been fat since childhood. Growing up fat was hard. You’re the brunt of jokes, mean and snide comments, any little pain you have at the doctors must be because of your weight. You’re not allowed to complain about being too hot in the summer. Your food choices are scrutinised to death: eat a salad, well done!!!! Its so healthy!!!! Good on your for trying to lose weight!!! Eat a burger? That’s why you’re fat. You should try swapping the bun for lettuce. You should swap your fries for a salad. Are you sure you don’t want something else? Christ on a bike, it was exhausting.
I got to a point in my 20s where I decided I didn’t care anymore. I was fat and that was that. I stopped efforts for intentional weight loss and started moving my body because I enjoyed it and it alleviated my depressive episodes. I also went vegan for lent 3 years ago and never stopped after the 40 days.
I’ve subsequently lost a lot of weight. I have weighed myself in about 5 years, but I’ve lost a lot of weight. Went from size 18/20 to 10/12. I’m ambivalent about weight loss, angry about the treatment of it.
People are nicer to me. Like they’ll greet me where they didn’t before. I walk into a store and the staff comes to offer me help. My instagram likes have never been higher. Men hit on me and point out other aspects of my personality other than being funny. Nobody seems to care what I eat anymore, they even encourage me to get dessert now. People treat me with basic human decency because my body is smaller than it used to be and it fu%#ing infuriates me. I’ve changed in no way. I’m the same person I’ve always been, but the way I move in the world has improved because my body is smaller.
I went to a family event for the first time post pandemic. Jaws literally dropped. “omg OP you look soooo good!!! You have to tell me your secret!” I asked people to stop commenting on my body as it was making me uncomfortable. They persisted until I snapped.
I told them, very curtly and firmly but never shouting, that it’s disgusting how they treat me. How the cousins who never invited me on girls nights now want me to hang with them. How people are now talking to me about things other than work and taking a genuine interest in my life. How they’re not even trying to conceal their fatphobia. It makes me sad that I could have had the love and support of my family all these years had I not been fat.
People did the whole “nooo it was your health we were worried about!!” And I pointed out how 2 of my cousins were either a high functioning alcoholic or being on this side of coke addiction yet none of them were ever treated with the disdain I was. Their concern was not my health, but my looks. Please spare me lies to my face.
It got awkward and silent and my family left soon after. My parents went off on me in the car about it for making this awkward. They said I should have just said thanks and not ruined the family gathering. What are your opinions? Did I over react? Please don’t be afraid to criticize. Thank you for your time in advance.
Here are a few comments on the story where it was originally posted:
