omen are facing the most from this toxic culture
LAHORE: Criticising yourself or others because of some aspect of your physical appearance can lead to a vicious cycle of judgment and shaming. When we care about looking slimmer, smaller or tanner for others we are at the risk of being the target of someone else’s body shaming comments. Most comments that talk about the physicality of a person are used to humiliate them. Amongst many other things, people often say, “you look like a giant potato” or question, “Why are you so fat”? Others comment, “Hey skinny, looks like you are suffering from malnutrition” or, ” This colour doesn’t suit your dark complexion”. But what are the outcomes of such comments on the person? According to psychologists, such remarks lead to isolation, depression and low self-esteem in the individual who is being shamed. In Pakistan, people are suffering. Women are facing the most from this toxic culture. We need to understand the dilemma, choose kind words, become more empathetic and stand up to fight against these societal beauty standards.
Komal Younas
Published in The Express Tribune, February 8th, 2020.
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