Almost everyone has experienced body shaming. You could have been the victim or the offender. It is critical that we discuss it right now. How do we unlearn body-shaming? How do we cultivate acceptance and gratitude for our bodies?
Apart from being in the fourth season of the Slim N’ Fit mission, Uwineza Ines Winnie, Iraba Monica, Gikundiro Deborah, and Janet Rudacogora all have something in common: they have all been victims of body shaming.
They all went through it at a young age and continue to do so. It is not something that can be forgotten so easily.
During our conversation, Uwineza recalled some of the negative comments she used to receive. She recalled how motorcycle drivers frequently asked her to pay twice for transportation.
Rudacogora also stated that people frequently told her she appeared ill. Gikundiro recalls people asking her why she doesn’t appear to have lost any weight since she began working out.
Not only that, but she [Gikundiro] remembered what some people used to tell her. People are often surprised to see her on the street and make comments about her.
“Sometimes I walk down the street and everyone is surprised to see me; they say things like, ‘Will you get there?'” ‘Are you capable of doing this or that?’ ‘Can you bend and sweep or mop a house?’ ‘.,” she explained.
“But in reality, I can do all of that with ease,” she stated.
These are frequently unintentional words. Many people claim to be simply making comments, but they are doing much more.
They are sowing the seeds of body dysmorphia, where a person obsesses over every minor flaw in their appearance. These aren’t just comments; they’re the seeds of years of dreading that unflattering look in the mirror.
But these women decided to go beyond the comment threads and criticism or obsess over their appearance, and they defined themselves not solely by any flaw or comment.
They incorporated self-love into their routines, as well as maintaining a healthy standard.
But it wasn’t quite that simple. It was a long road for these women to self-esteem, a long road to self-love that included blocking out the criticism and shaming.
It took some time for them to finally define themselves by who they are rather than what they look like.
Self-love is a broad concept for Uwineza. It is about “having self-confidence” and “appreciating who you are.”
These young women believe that self-love is deeply rooted in recognizing one’s dignity and valuing one’s body. They consider it to be self-awareness and self-care.
They told us that it was never easy for them; you see, there is a certain way that our society expects people to look. And this had an impact on them in some way.
“When you are young, it bothers you in some ways,” Uwineza said, “but as one grows up and understands more about themselves, it becomes easier to overcome those challenges.”
Even though they are not the only ones, most young people still struggle with their body image. People will criticize you no matter how you look, and you may never know why, so you should ignore it.
Iraba stated that no matter how you look, slim or plus sized, you will be criticized, but you should “not function according to what people say or how they view you.”
These incredibly confident women stated that you must love yourself, protect yourself, and know who you are regardless of what others say.
It is critical to remember that body shaming is not constructive; it stems from a deep insecurity about who you are and how you appear.
Do the right thing, stop the hate.
