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After Losing 100lbs, This Curve Model Shares Her Experience Related To Body Shaming
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After Losing 100lbs, This Curve Model Shares Her Experience Related To Body Shaming

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Issues with society accepting and normalizing attitudes towards body weight and build are re-surfacing occasionally. The abundance of information on how to lose weight is easily accessible, which is not necessarily a sign of its efficiency. And people often find themselves warped by weight loss plans or perhaps witnessing someone going through it. Be it for health issues, improving fitness level, or any other personal decision, the battle with fat and with feelings that surround differently built figures is still real.

A curve model, activist, and content creator, Kendra Austin, shared a Twitter post that highlighted how after she lost 100lbs, people congratulated her and treated her differently, which seemed like a confirmation that being thin is being more valuable to the world. Kendra ignited a discussion online about what it’s actually like to lose weight and what consequences come with it.

More info: Twitter | TikTok

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    Curve model Kendra Austin shared a thought-provoking post on Twitter about losing weight and being congratulated

    Image credits: kendramorous

    Kendra, who has spoken out about her journey through accepting and embracing her body, tweeted how all of a sudden, people’s reactions to her have changed significantly and that it happened once she lost 100lbs: “everyone suddenly loved me.” What she highlighted was how the fact that she was congratulated, perhaps even without it being intended to take such a turn, simply seemed to her that her negative feelings about being fat had been nothing but confirmed.

    In her Twitter post, she highlighted how people can misunderstand and take weight loss cheering as proof of their fear of being too fat

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    Image credits: kendramorous

    As a curve model, Kendra advocated for plus size women and how the fashion industry lacks clothing options and then excludes them for “not being high fashion enough.” On her social media, she has also tackled the topic of fatphobia and its constant stigmatization through systematic oppression rather than encouragement of acceptance and normalization. She points out that such stigma is toxic and it results in harsh consequences, ranging from being bullied on playground, in workplaces, and on dating apps. It is easy to guess that growing up with fatphobia probably meant being ashamed of eating in front of people, trying numerous diets, and all leading to the presumption that fat people are not desired or loved in the same ways.

    Image credits: kendramorous

    Kendra also stressed the fact that some plus size women believe that being fat is a negative thing

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    Image credits: kendramorous

    In one of her videos on TikTok, Kendra encourages body positivity and not being scared to use the word ‘fat’ or consider it offensive. “Fatness and beauty can actually exist in the same person, whether you believe it or not; the implication that it can’t is actually deeply rooted in fatphobia.”

    Image credits: kendramorous

    And she also admitted to losing precious moments of positive feelings due to feeling too big

    Image credits: kendramorous

    And quite a few people online agreed that this post resonates with them—many shared stories of unintended weight loss, due to an illness or a health condition, and how people congratulating them for it are actually not aware of the backstory, which then leads to easily hurting someone’s feelings, which eventually could lead to feelings of failure in case of gaining the weight back.

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    Image credits: kendramorous

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    And here are some of the comments she has received on her viral post with over 632K likes

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    Irmante Sungailaite

    Irmante Sungailaite

    Author, Community member

    Read more »

    After graduating Media and Photography in the United Kingdom, Irmante got drawn into the captivating world of travelling and spent most of the years on the road discovering cultures, learning languages and meeting the most fascinating people. If not writing articles for Bored Panda readers she can be found listening to jazz in Ethiopia, sipping flat whites in Australia or trekking Guatemalan jungles. Her likes include films by Wes Anderson, pseudoscientific practices and being obsessed with everything Mexico and Central America. Her friends mainly describe her as inquisitive, adventurous, and caring.

    Read less »
    Irmante Sungailaite

    Irmante Sungailaite

    Author, Community member

    After graduating Media and Photography in the United Kingdom, Irmante got drawn into the captivating world of travelling and spent most of the years on the road discovering cultures, learning languages and meeting the most fascinating people. If not writing articles for Bored Panda readers she can be found listening to jazz in Ethiopia, sipping flat whites in Australia or trekking Guatemalan jungles. Her likes include films by Wes Anderson, pseudoscientific practices and being obsessed with everything Mexico and Central America. Her friends mainly describe her as inquisitive, adventurous, and caring.

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    Linda H
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Perhaps her friends are congratulating her because she reached a hard-won goal? Why did she lose 100 lbs? Probably to feel healthier and look better. But then she feels hurt that her friends acknowledge that and are happy for her. I wonder how she'd feel if no one even noticed? She'd probably be hurt over that too. Some people just have a need to be disgruntled. My husband tells everyone how much weight he lost, we're both proud of him because it isn't easy. He works diligently for every pound lost.

    Stille20
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I lost a lot of weight and I had coworkers and random people congratulating me. It's doesn't feel good. Friends are there for your journey but random people, it feels like they have been noticing your body... it's weird and awkward.

    Load More Replies...
    Carmen Sandiego
    Community Member
    3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So... there are many people who think that fat= unhealthy and body positivity promotes unhealthiness. But though being fat due to overeating may be unhealthy, that is not always the case (of obesity, fat due to overeating is unhealthy). It could also be hormones, genetics, childbirth, etc... something out of their control. Body positivity is not encouraging unhealthiness, it is about realising that whether you are fat or thin, you deserve your dignity. You deserve to be treated equally and normally. You deserve to be accepted. You deserve to be loved. You are beautiful. Whether people think you are attractive or not is their choice, though. Shouldn't matter that much, right? At least, that's the gist of it. Thank you for coming to my TED talk. Don't believe me? Check out these sources for more info: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/9-reasons-obesity-is-not-a-choice ; https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-body-positivity-4773402

    Steve
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    1. Per the CDC, less than 5% of obese people are that way because of physical causes. 2. If her pictures are after losing 100lbs, then she was originally over 200lbs overweight. There is no reality where that is healthy 3. She is clearly morbidly obese. That is not beautiful, dignified, normal or equal. 4. She displays arrogant self-justification that whatever messed-up thing she chooses to do is the right thing because she does it, so therefore she doesn't even need to try to live better. That level of arrogance NEVER deserves understanding or respect. In point of fact it earns the opposite.

    Load More Replies...
    Daria B
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    A little off-topic, but there is something very important I want to bring up when talking about weight loss. So many people give up because no matter how healthy they eat and how healthy and sporty their habits are, they just seem to can't be slim. Well, maybe your unwanted chubbiness isn't really fat, but water retention. If that's the case, you have to change your weight loss approach. Go to the doctor and try to find out what causes all this excessive water. Focus on that problem instead, and weight loss will be the result. I thought it was simply aging combined with a sedentary lifestyle (due to stuying and career), but turns out, it was weak kidneys. Hope this piece of information was useful to anyone who's reading it. Stay beautiful. (I know you are ^_-)

    Load More Comments
    Linda H
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Perhaps her friends are congratulating her because she reached a hard-won goal? Why did she lose 100 lbs? Probably to feel healthier and look better. But then she feels hurt that her friends acknowledge that and are happy for her. I wonder how she'd feel if no one even noticed? She'd probably be hurt over that too. Some people just have a need to be disgruntled. My husband tells everyone how much weight he lost, we're both proud of him because it isn't easy. He works diligently for every pound lost.

    Stille20
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I lost a lot of weight and I had coworkers and random people congratulating me. It's doesn't feel good. Friends are there for your journey but random people, it feels like they have been noticing your body... it's weird and awkward.

    Load More Replies...
    Carmen Sandiego
    Community Member
    3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So... there are many people who think that fat= unhealthy and body positivity promotes unhealthiness. But though being fat due to overeating may be unhealthy, that is not always the case (of obesity, fat due to overeating is unhealthy). It could also be hormones, genetics, childbirth, etc... something out of their control. Body positivity is not encouraging unhealthiness, it is about realising that whether you are fat or thin, you deserve your dignity. You deserve to be treated equally and normally. You deserve to be accepted. You deserve to be loved. You are beautiful. Whether people think you are attractive or not is their choice, though. Shouldn't matter that much, right? At least, that's the gist of it. Thank you for coming to my TED talk. Don't believe me? Check out these sources for more info: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/9-reasons-obesity-is-not-a-choice ; https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-body-positivity-4773402

    Steve
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    1. Per the CDC, less than 5% of obese people are that way because of physical causes. 2. If her pictures are after losing 100lbs, then she was originally over 200lbs overweight. There is no reality where that is healthy 3. She is clearly morbidly obese. That is not beautiful, dignified, normal or equal. 4. She displays arrogant self-justification that whatever messed-up thing she chooses to do is the right thing because she does it, so therefore she doesn't even need to try to live better. That level of arrogance NEVER deserves understanding or respect. In point of fact it earns the opposite.

    Load More Replies...
    Daria B
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    A little off-topic, but there is something very important I want to bring up when talking about weight loss. So many people give up because no matter how healthy they eat and how healthy and sporty their habits are, they just seem to can't be slim. Well, maybe your unwanted chubbiness isn't really fat, but water retention. If that's the case, you have to change your weight loss approach. Go to the doctor and try to find out what causes all this excessive water. Focus on that problem instead, and weight loss will be the result. I thought it was simply aging combined with a sedentary lifestyle (due to stuying and career), but turns out, it was weak kidneys. Hope this piece of information was useful to anyone who's reading it. Stay beautiful. (I know you are ^_-)

    Load More Comments
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