Why stick with seven deadly sins when there are so many things we could get up to? Life is just too busy to stick with such a small number. There is so much right with the world these days yet there is so much that is just plain wrong. Life is filled with modern sins and sinners. Over the coming month as part of the A-Z blogging challenge, I am going to bring the list up to date with my suggested 26 modern deadly sins.
F is for fat shaming. Social media is a blessing and a curse. It allows you to stay in touch with family and friends, meet and engage with new people and generally put yourself out there. You can work on your brand but be careful, there are people out there who want to burst your bubble (see T for trolling). Fat shaming is one of the most virulent forms of online abuse. It is the action or practice of humiliating someone judged to be fat or overweight by making mocking or critical comments about their size. Now, ribbing someone over their weight is not exactly new but social media takes it to a new height. Before it was a behind your back or to your face affair. Now a degree of anonymity is provided by the medium.
Stars who have been fat shamed include Ashley Graham, Tyra Banks, Chrissy Teigen, Melissa McCarthy, Kate Winslet, Sam Smith, Jennifer Lawrence, Gabourey Sidibie, Jessica Simpson, Kelly Clarkson, Kim Kardashian and Candice Bergen. I don’t know who all these people are but they don’t deserve it.
Fat shaming doesn’t help people reduce their weight, even if they wanted to. Indeed it is believed that it can make things worse. It is nothing more than a form of bullying, ancient as time itself with a modern and more brutal twist.
Thou shalt not fat shame.
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 