I’ve been so worked up in writing this next entry for the blog that I just restarted. I can’t figure out how to start introducing the topic that I want to highlight. Having watched so many teenage school movies which covers bullying as a topic, I had so much hope that this next topic of mine which is also very common these days would be a cakewalk for me to talk about. But, no! I’ve been struggling at how I want it written. So here goes my best shot.
Whenever I look back at how I have grown and the people around me; the issue of obesity was never present. We were way healthier and stronger as compared to now. But sometimes, we dream of being someone else. Someone more good looking, someone successful at a young age, someone who dared to dream.
I pictured myself as Winnie from The Wonder Years. (If you don’t know who that is, Google The Wonder Years) Yes! That’s literally my teenage dream. Hilarious, no? I tried convincing myself that I can make someone out of myself but my teenage self wouldn’t agree at the time 😊 This dream lasted for as long as I could remember until one day, I noticed the changes in my body. I realised that I was quite different from the rest by the time I was 15; I started putting on more weight than usual. This! Put an end to my dream of ever looking like Winnie.
Well, I was fatter (at least now in my thirties I would say I am ripe :P) and almost all of the kids that I hung around with would make fun and called me fat, I was even called a Syntex tub (a brand of tub which we store water on our terraces) and I never made a fuss or even try to stop anyone from calling me these names. I sometimes sobbed but most of the time I brushed it aside and convinced myself that I am FAT!
While still at my teens I used to skip meals or even throw up after I’ve eaten. I was anorexic most of the time because of the pressure to watch my weight, to maintain good figures like my classmates so I can wear tight fitting dresses and look good not for myself but to please others. I can still recall that most of my teenage life till my early 20s, I was in and out of hospitals. The last time I was admitted I was on the verge of becoming bulimic. I don’t even want to think what would have happened if I didn’t come out of this thought of pleasing others with how I look.
I don’t know if parents do talk to their children about the effect that such pressures have on children and can lead to so many disturbing things. My aunt helped me get out of this situation. We spoke about the long term effect it would have on my life. She showed me movies that covered the topics of anorexia and bulimia.
In this era, what I went through would be called body- shaming. I know you all know it, but I just want to emphasise that as a child I never thought that this was wrong. That this is not acceptable if you are a boy or a girl or LGBTQIA; no one has a right to call you names just because you are healthier than other kids. Hell, even healthier than your older cousins and neighbours who would call you names.
This post is dedicated to all the kids who went through similar incidents growing up. We all need a shoulder to lean on. I hope no one needs to go through incidents such as these. Also, keep in mind that unhealthy lifestyle is not what I encourage through this post. We need to be healthy and take good care of ourselves 😊
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