Skinny shaming

You know what I'm getting tired of seeing?

This:

This:

And this:

Seems "skinny shaming" is a thing. For some reason I'm really noticing it at the moment. I see stuff like this in my Facebook news feed and quite frankly it's annoying...and hurtful. In my mind,  skinny shaming is just as hurtful as teasing someone for being overweight.

I guess you could say that I'm skinny. I find it hard having an objective viewpoint on this due to the fact that achondroplasia makes it look as though I have "junk in my trunk" no matter what I do, but I do know that I am lean because I work out regularly and eat well. I work hard at maintaining this level of fitness. I'm not going to deny that. It takes commitment and work. I get up at the crack of dawn two mornings a week to go swimming, I lace up my running shoes a minimum of twice a week to go running. I push my body to test it's limits, but I do it because I enjoy being healthy. My drug of choice is that naturally high feeling after I've completed a good run, a decent number of laps in the pool or a session of yoga. I love the feeling of vitality and energy coursing through my body. It's worth it! 

The only down side to being lean is that I've lost curves and I'm flat chested - but I'm OK with that. I've learned to be happy in my own skin. 

Looking back, I've never had a problem with my weight and, apart from pregnancy, I've always been on the leaner side. Good genes maybe? I remember my mother saying when I was a young teen that if I was average sized I would possibly have the same body type as one of my slender sisters. At the time I heard that with the ears of someone who was struggling with an eating disorder and my mind turned it around to mean, "You're fat". She didn't mean it that way at all, but my illogical mind took it that way.

Silly goose.

Good metabolism? Possibly. I've always been interested in and committed to being as physically healthy as I can possibly be, maybe that's it? I'm committed to being active. I walk a lot. I choose the stairs at train stations and in shopping centres rather than escalators. I like to move. I don't like eating junk or drinking soft drinks (soda). It's both a preference and a choice. Maybe my metabolism has adjusted itself according to these choices. 

I have been called a bitch because I am lean. That was kind of hurtful. I didn't really know what to do with that comment when it happened. Being a bitch for being lean and healthy? I didn't get it at the time...I still don't get it. Why?  If you're not happy with your own body and wish it were different, then the choice is yours. DO something about it, but don't call me (or anyone else) a bitch in the interim. Please. 

I wouldn't dream of insulting someone because of the body shape they inhabit - whatever shape it is. I feel concern for people who are unhealthy but to make personal remarks or insults is just not on! That WOULD make me a bitch. 

Wot Cheezus Meofff!

Rooooar!

(inspiration from Hey Hey It's Saturday in case you were wondering.)

I had an incident of the street sexual harassment kind this afternoon which kind of got me a bit cheesed off. Don't worry. I'm not freaked out or anything, in fact I casually flipped him the bird and continued on my merry way...but still. I wonder if street punks like that think they're doing me a favour or something, as though I'm starved for male attention. Chances are they're just being tools. 

Anyway, I thought I'd compile a list of Wot Cheezus Meofff - aka "Pet Peeves as a person of short stature." These are in no particular order. 

1. "How's the weather down there?" - unoriginal and annoying.

2. "Oops! I dropped something? Can you pick it up seeing you're closer to the ground?" - still takes effort you lazy sod.

3. Camera phones - now I can no longer say, "Take a picture, it lasts longer!" because chances are you already have, put it on your Facebook/Twitter and shared it with all your bogan friends.

4. Young men who think wolf whistling and blowing kisses at me is meant to be a compliment because I'm so starved of male attention. No. It's not. It's unwanted sexual harassment. And I'm not starved of male attention. At all. 

5. Parents who "shush" their kids or whack them when they want to ask a question or if they're just simply looking at me curiously. Kids are CURIOUS! I know that. It's ok! So don't punish them for doing what comes naturally! It perpetuates the notion that disability or physical difference is something we shun, run away from or is embarrassing. Polite questions are always welcome.

6. Christians who think that it's wrong to have a passion outside of church and directly serving God. "You are called to serve God, so you shouldn't be following your passion to be a Personal Trainer or a painter or a talented dancer or champion tiddlywinks player!" Sorry Christian but my walk is my walk and you are not in my  shoes. Take care of your own life thanks!

7. Small sized clothing - mainly underwear and shoes - being placed on top shelves or racks. Good grief! Where's the logic in that? 10A bras are on the TOP rack whereas the 18-triple enormous are on the BOTTOM! What the????

8. Occupational Health & Safety. No longer am I allowed to grab a chair and stand on it to reach something/see better. I've got to wait until the proper equipment is there or I have to ask someone, cos you know...I might just hurt my wee self. Puhlease! I've been climbing and making do since...Noah built the ark. Don't take my independence away because of OH&S! (We won't mention the fact that I fell off a ladder the other night!)

9. Customer service staff *coughYarraTramscough* who think I can't read a tram timetable and actually read it for me. I've been catching the same tram for ten years. I got it, ok?

10. Assumptions about what kind of baby would be "easier" for me to cope with. Don't get me started on this one. Just don't.

11. People talking in movie theatres. This has nothing to do with being short statured, I know...but if you want to discuss the movie when the movie is on, how about you wait till it comes out on BlueRay or DVD and watch it from the comfort of your living room, ok?

12. Insisting that you know who I am because you knew me when I lived in the same town as you...when I've never even been there! Sometimes I can tell these people, "No, I never lived in Upper Combukta West!" and they will STILL say, "Yes you did! Back in 1952!" 

A) I'm not that old.

B) I do know where I've lived

C) you insisting does not make it so.

All people with dwarfism are not identical. Strange, but true! *smirk*

There's a few. 

Feeling better now. Glad I got that out!

Have you got pet peeves you'd like to share? Go on! It's good for you! :)