The one with the misfits

I'm gonna be real with you. Fat people are people, too. Did that sound weird?

I mean, we all know that. We all make fun of being fat (maybe not to overweight people, directly). But, we've all joked about it. But, deep down, I think we all dread it, too.

What I would like to bring up, mostly just to get it off my chest, is that, some people are bigger than others. Some people are even too small. (WHAAAT? Would Hollywood ever have us think such a thing??) But, what's so much more important than size, is health. I would rather be healthy than skinny, miserable and sickly.

It's taken me a while to realize this, and I'll still be self-conscious because of my size, but I've just been striving to be healthy. In high school, I thought I was fat. I really, really thought I was grossly overweight. Now, I look back, longing to be as small as I was then.

I've been reading about different celebrities with weight problems. Amber Riley. Ashley Fink. Um. Adele! Christina Aguilera (good article). 16-year-old "Fat Kid," Kate Summers.

All these articles, I found within maybe 10 minutes. My personal favorite, one I posted to Facebook a few days ago, is a short article about body image.

I hope you all take the time to at least skim these articles. The article about Kate Summers and bullying really hit home. I mean, growing up, I was never obese... But, there were occasional comments about food and exercise that really hurt. I know no one ever meant to hurt me. Things like that were only ever said for my "own good."


I think society really needs to get a hold on what message we're feeding into the minds of girls, young and old, and even men. No one should feel like they have to portray a certain physical image to be accepted and fit in. It's so sad to think that a skinny girl and overweight girl can't just be friends and put their body image aside.

When I was in school, popularity had to do with two (maybe three) things.
1. Your genes. How attractive you were, by default, since popularity is determined at a young age. No 2nd grader is going to worry about what they eat, what clothes make them look best and how much exercise they get. If you have fit parents, you're a shoo-in (shoe-in?).
2. Your parents involvement. Parent's will work hard to get their kids the "popular" teachers, buy them trendy clothes (that they'll only grow out of within the next year), and push them into cheerleading/dance/whatever all the other "popular" kids are being forced to do. I don't, by any means, want to make my parents feel bad. Thank you for being level-headed and not wasting time on such nonsense.
3. Money. This may or may not be a factor (#2 seems to have the biggest effect) but, it sure helps!

Now, coming from a girl who had an extra long "awkward phase," I could still tell you the names of all the popular girls - and why they were popular. It's sad that (while I don't care anymore) I didn't have a fighting chance. The harder the weird/fat/nerdy/outsider kids worked to be popular, the more they were ridiculed. I understand the harshness of popular kids and the fact that it won't ever change. What makes me so sad is the fact that the things that make kids feel so alone and embarrassed are, a lot of times, the things they can't even change - not until they're old enough to take more drastic measures.

Even sadder, it continues - even intensifies, after those school years. Now days, everywhere we go, we're forced exposure to those opinions and "norms." I mean, you tell me what's "normal" to you.

Alright, I'll stop. But, I hope everyone can re-adjust their mindset when it comes to being "overweight" and "fat" and "ugly." I think being healthy is beautiful. If you're eating healthy and exercising, and still bigger than all your anorexic friends, you shouldn't have to feel self-conscious. It's unfair to everyone blessed with amazing features like Adele, Khloe Kardashian and probably half the people you know that the social norm is forcing them to loathe the way they look.

I'm not saying overweight is healthy. It's obviously a serious issue. But, I do think there is a better way to address the issue rather than singling "fat" people out and telling them they aren't attractive. And, along those same lines, maybe we could make more of an effort to address the issue of "underweight" people and put some meat on those brittle bones.

My last comment is that even skinny girls (and guys) are self-conscious, too. Very few people love their body - after all, that's what society has taught us to feel. No matter what, we need to keep in mind the feelings of others. Telling a skinny girl she is "soooo skinny!" even if it's out of jealousy or some skewed compliment, may not be the best way to make her feel good. Instead of telling someone who just lost (or gained, for that matter) 20 pounds that they look beautiful (now), let them know they always have and always will be beautiful, no matter what their scale tells them. We're all individuals with different talents and features. It would be a shame to take all that away.