Without fail every time, I order a rack of ribs I get the strangest looks as if there was an obscene object projecting from my forehead. I have spent most of my teenage years fighting to be comfortable in my skin and it has taken many years after my adolescence to feel like a woman. I am what most women swear they want to be until they find out the truth.
The pressure on women to fit into the mold of a supermodel has made life hard for everyone; including us skinny women! No matter where you go, whether it be the mall or the club, other women who are bigger than you even by a few sizes view you as their mortal enemy. They just assume that all skinny women have it made. I want to ask them have you ever walked outside during a windy day and got pushed to the side by the wind when everybody else seems to have no problem walking in a straight line? No, I’m not drunk — I’m skinny!
“You’re so small why don’t you shop in the kid’s section?” or “Do you eat? Where does it all go?” are question that embodies the skinny girl’s existence. Or even worse – the suggestion to go have a cheeseburger. Statements like these are stabs at my femininity; am I less of a woman because my jeans don’t cup by my backside or my womanly curves haven’t grown in (and probably never will)?
It’s time to set the record straight. Most skinny women you see (unless they have some type of disorder) can and do eat anything and everything. When you are skinny more often than not you possess not a curve, shape, or Victoria’s secret bra size to speak of! I have walked into Victoria’s Secret on many occasions just to have the sales lady tell me “I’m sorry I can’t seem to find anything in a size 34A.” The one time I was lucky enough to find Victoria’s Secret bra alternative in my size (push up of course) I kept that sucker until the straps withered and fell apart. Rude comments and having trouble finding clothes aren’t exclusive to just the big girl community. We skinny girls feel the heat too.
To add to society’s portrait of skinny women, it gets tougher for us when we are dealing with men of color. What man doesn’t like a woman with a little curve and a shake in her step? I’ve had more than one man say to me your face is pretty but you’re just too skinny! The truth is that no matter what size you are there are always going to be things about your body that you don’t like and people to make rude remarks. Now that I’m in my late twenties I have learned to love my size A’s. I don’t care if I look strange eating a colossal size meal because I’ve learned to love myself for myself.
The truth is that if you don’t learn to love yourself for who you are then it doesn’t matter whether you’re a plus-size diva, fierce and petite, or somewhere in between. Instead of going to great lengths to be a lollipop and bulk up on sisterly attacks, we should go to greater lengths to thin up our prejudices and learn to love ourselves.
3 Comments
This article made me smile. All of the rude comments listed have been said to me and then some. I normally don’t mind when people make comments about my size, I have learned over the years to just laugh it off, because like the writer, I had to learn to be comfortable with myself- unless they are purposely being rude and hurtful. The worst for me is when people treat me like I have an eating disorder. I take that very seriously because a) its not funny and b) its rude to those who have actually gone through it.
And why its okay for people to refer to me as “skinny B****” but someone would have my head if I ever turned around and called someone fat. Newsflash: calling someone a skinny B*** isn’t a compliment- especially when you say it as if you’re shooting venom out of your teeth. Small women have feelings too.
Wow I can totally and completely relate to this article. I have recently been in a stump and have not been feeling beautiful because people always make rude remarks about me being so small (especially men of color). Thank you for this it addresses every issue I have ever had with being a skinny girl.
This issue is something that’s always stuck with me. I’m glad you ladies can relate, women come in all sizes… So It’s simply about respect