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09-14-23, 11:52 AM | |||||
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Join Date: Mar 2002
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"How your family shapes your body image" [BBC Future]
How your family shapes your body image
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I asked her some questions about her situation, including if her parents would've treated her the same if she were a boy experiencing similar body changes. She was miffed and the questions "off-topic," but I'm just not much of an off-topic person and wouldn't have asked the questions if I considered them off-topic. The member hasn't posted in years, but if she's reading this post: the first paragraph quoted in this block shows why I always considered that question relevant. Quote:
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"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." The Velveteen Rabbit |
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09-14-23, 07:03 PM | |
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Chicagoland, IL, USA
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My aunt used to call me "Chunky," after the candy bar. It didn't do too much for my self-esteem.
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--Julie Surely a person of sense would submit to anything, like exercise, so as to obtain a well functioning mind and a pleasant, happy life. --Socrates |
09-15-23, 02:01 PM | |
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Join Date: Oct 2006
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Well. I think many factors shape our body image---family, friends, advertising, television and print media, etc. There is no one “demon” to blame for poor body image or low self esteem. It seems that this study is attempting to “prove” what many of us already know by experience.
Juliepie, ouch, I’m sure that nickname stung—nope, not cute, funny, or useful, just mean. Those carelessly cruel comments made to us in our formative years stick with us. Hugs! Gams, maybe the sister committed to losing weight (rather than telling her to pound sand, which would have been my response) and the bride ordered a dress for her in a size that didn’t fit and couldn’t be altered? NO, I’m NOT excusing the bride, but it might not be as horrible as it seems but rather economics??? I’m only speculating, of course, it’s hard to imagine someone being that heartless to a sister? However, I’ve heard of brides choosing their attendants based on how they will look in pictures and in the ceremony—how hard it would be to do this to a sibling! Ugh.
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09-15-23, 02:50 PM | |
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Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Colorado Springs
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There was weight emphasis in my family. My older brother had a weight problem himself, and I think he wanted to spare me that, but he only made things worse. My Mom was in on it too. She was thin and wanted a thin daughter.
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"The two most powerful warriors are patience and time." Leo Tolstoy |
09-15-23, 03:21 PM | |
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Join Date: Oct 2006
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My mother was obese while I was growing up. My grandparents (her in-laws) were cruel to her about it—sent her coupons and diet plans and the like touting weight loss “tricks.” I came upon my mother crying one day at something my grandfather sent to her to the effect that she could really benefit from this plan, implying she wasn’t “good enough” as she was. I don’t think it was intentionally malicious on his part, but does that matter if someone offers unwanted “advice”? My parents didn’t stress weight with me (and I was “chunky” to use juliepie's word), but I witnessed that emphasis as a “bystander.” So sad.
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How fierce will you be today? VFer KateTT Watula, Cheeto, Charli, Lux, Merlin, Rudy, Finley the Cat, Hobbes, Winston, and Finley the Dog Fan Girl! Word of 2024: Patience |
09-15-23, 04:46 PM | |
Join Date: Nov 2001
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I honestly can't remember a time when my mom wasn't watching/controlling my body size/food/weight. She struggled with her own weight and wanted me to be thin. She made it clear to me that my self-worth was based on my size. We'd go on crash diets together when I was very young and then binge from the restriction. She told me that people would look down on me if I was heavy. She took me to Weight Watchers meetings when I was young, put me on Nutrisystem, rewarded me for weight loss, told me family members wouldn't accept me if I was heavy, etc. I look back at the few photos I have of myself as a kid and...I wasn't even fat. I wasn't super lean like the other girls, but I just had a different body type.
I was also called Orca (like the whale) instead of Erica. There were other things too that are too private for a public forum. Erica |
Tags |
body image, children, clothing, diet culture, weight |
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