Post by static anonymity on Apr 30, 2005 21:45:56 GMT
As you all probably know, I'm not one to encourage people to fit into some pre-determined mould of how people should look/act etc, and being a blob myself, I'm not one to chastise others for not being sticks. So perhaps that goes some way to explain why this got me so p*ssed off.
Sat in a train carriage on the way back from London today, a family plonked themselves down next to me. Usual kiddie stuff/family talk aboutthe day ensued. All good and well. Cue me zoning out whilst staring out the window, etc.
Anyways, I zoned back in to hear the mother commenting loudly on her daughter's weight.
- "You've eaten an awful lot today, you can't still be hungry" - fair enough
- "You'll get fat if you're not careful" - erm...
- "Look, Rachel, you're filling out already" - charming!
- "You're not as skinny as you were" - erm, that's cos she grew? She is a child, afterall...
And other such delightful comments.
Ok, I get that we have to make "kids today" more aware of weight and healthy eating and staying active, etc. But:
- there are more positive ways of saying it.
- why does a middle aged woman who is quite a way from anything vaguely "slim" get to judge someone else?
- why does a 7 year old need to be judged in such a manner?
- why are you trying to make your beautiful, energetic, intelligent daughter, who seems a lovely unique individual just another media-following sheep, striving to be the idealistic stick insect - max dress size a ten?
Argh, I almost said something, it got to me so much. I just really hope that that kid doesn't develop an eating disorder or a weight obsession or the like. In a world where western "diseases" such as anorexia and bulimia are increasing and spreading further east, I would have thought that parents would encourage confidence and individualism, as well as provide support. Whereas, it seems, that they're using pressure and scare tactics on their young to avoid them turning into *shock horro* "fat people"!
Argh, come on!
Is that woman really so insecure with her own "non-'perfect' weight" that she needs to project her insecurities onto her child?
Bleh, ok, ranting over.
Sat in a train carriage on the way back from London today, a family plonked themselves down next to me. Usual kiddie stuff/family talk aboutthe day ensued. All good and well. Cue me zoning out whilst staring out the window, etc.
Anyways, I zoned back in to hear the mother commenting loudly on her daughter's weight.
- "You've eaten an awful lot today, you can't still be hungry" - fair enough
- "You'll get fat if you're not careful" - erm...
- "Look, Rachel, you're filling out already" - charming!
- "You're not as skinny as you were" - erm, that's cos she grew? She is a child, afterall...
And other such delightful comments.
Ok, I get that we have to make "kids today" more aware of weight and healthy eating and staying active, etc. But:
- there are more positive ways of saying it.
- why does a middle aged woman who is quite a way from anything vaguely "slim" get to judge someone else?
- why does a 7 year old need to be judged in such a manner?
- why are you trying to make your beautiful, energetic, intelligent daughter, who seems a lovely unique individual just another media-following sheep, striving to be the idealistic stick insect - max dress size a ten?
Argh, I almost said something, it got to me so much. I just really hope that that kid doesn't develop an eating disorder or a weight obsession or the like. In a world where western "diseases" such as anorexia and bulimia are increasing and spreading further east, I would have thought that parents would encourage confidence and individualism, as well as provide support. Whereas, it seems, that they're using pressure and scare tactics on their young to avoid them turning into *shock horro* "fat people"!
Argh, come on!Is that woman really so insecure with her own "non-'perfect' weight" that she needs to project her insecurities onto her child?
Bleh, ok, ranting over.
