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The Scenarios in Which It’s Okay to Comment on Someone Else’s Body
Hint: There is only one
I have a friend who, for months now, has had dozens of people — friends, acquaintances and strangers—comment on her body… in one of the most cringe-inducing ways a woman’s body can be commented on.
“Oh my gosh! When are you due?”
“You’re expecting! I’m so excited for you.”
“I didn’t know you were pregnant”
Pregnant. Pregnancy is a beautiful thing, and I think when a woman is pregnant she is absolutely beautiful and glowing. I also think a woman with a belly, who is not expecting, is also beautiful.
My friend is not pregnant, so you can imagine that hearing a comment like this, even once, would have a negative impact on her self-esteem and body image.
She has heard it so many times she has lost count. The most recent time she heard it she finally broke down into a severe emotional state for several days, questioning her body and what’s wrong with it—even as far as what’s wrong with herself as a person. As someone who has encountered her own fair share of body image issues, I could relate and I felt deeply for her.
My friend has a small frame and slim legs. She has had a child. She has recently been going through some…
