A woman tired of people praising her weight loss is being cheered online, after her post lamenting the treatment of "fat" people went viral.
Posting to Reddit on Tuesday, user u/euisalk said she was fed up with people being nicer to her since slimming down, as well as angry at the way she was treated prior to her weight loss.
Unfortunately, her newfound confidence led to an "awkward" confrontation with some fatphobic relatives at a family party.
In less than a day, the woman's post has received over 11,000 likes and more than 1,200 comments, with users applauding the woman for taking a stand.
Research indicates that fatphobia has an impact on overweight people in a number of ways. A 2017 study found that overweight candidates were less likely to be hired, while weight stigma in the medical profession can lead to adverse health outcomes for patients, especially those from Black and Latinx communities.
According to a 2021 study by Harvard University, weight discrimination is rising, with fat-shaming on social media contributing to the increase.
Experiencing weight stigma can lead to issues such as depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and a negative body image.
However, rather than spurring people to lose weight, weight-shaming can lead to disordered eating and exercise avoidance, leading to poorer physical health.
In her post, euisalk wrote she had "been fat since childhood" and detailed her struggles with weight stigma throughout her life.
"Growing up fat was hard," she wrote. "You're the brunt of jokes, mean and snide comments, any little pain you have at the doctors must be because of your weight.
"You're not allowed to complain about being too hot in the summer. Your food choices are scrutinised to death: eat a salad, well done!!!! It's so healthy!!!! Good on you for trying to lose weight!!! Eat a burger? That's why you're fat.
"It was exhausting."
However, the Redditor had recently lost weight after developing a healthy exercise routine and swapping to a vegan diet, and has noticed a big difference in how people treat her.
"Went from size 18/20 to 10/12," she wrote. "I'm ambivalent about the weight loss, angry about the treatment of it."
Since losing weight, the poster says people have been "nicer" to her, despite no change to her personality.
"Like they'll greet me where they didn't before," the Redditor wrote. "I walk into a store and the staff comes to offer me help.
"My instagram likes have never been higher. Men hit on me and point out other aspects of my personality other than being funny."
The woman wrote she is "infuriated" that people "treat her with basic human decency" now she is smaller, even her relatives. At a family event, several people fawned over her and asked for weight-loss tips, upsetting the poster.
"I asked people to stop commenting on my body as it was making me uncomfortable," the poster wrote. "They persisted until I snapped."
The poster "curtly but firmly" told her family she is disgusted by how they treat her. For example, taking a sudden interest in her life now she is thinner, or cousins who previously snubbed her asking her to hang out.
"It makes me sad that I could have had the love and support of my family all these years had I not been fat," she wrote.
After the blow-up, everyone went silent, with the family leaving soon afterward. On the way home, the poster's mom and dad berated her in the car for making the situation "awkward."
"They said I should have just said thanks and not ruined the family gathering," she wrote. "AITA?"
Redditors praised the poster for confronting her fatphobic family, with _daikon telling her to "be proud" of herself.
"What you've described in this post is you deciding to love yourself," the user wrote.
"People have an unfair bias and we need to learn that it's unacceptable," wrote Commercial-Pear-543.
While Young_Coastie said: "As someone who has been both heavy and slim, it is infuriating the way we are treated based solely on this one factor.
"You did good, don't let your family shame you into silence."
Newsweek has reached out to u/euisalk for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.
If you have a similar family dilemma, let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
Read more here:
Family Blasted for 'Disgusting' Reaction to Woman's Noticeable Weight Loss - Newsweek
