is there enough fat-shaming in the black community?

Researchers seemed shocked to discover Black women reported a higher quality of life than White women of the same weight. Self-esteem also ranked particularly high among Black women.

I don’t get why there’s a problem with having high self-esteem or (gasp!) actually enjoying life despite the numbers on the scale. No woman, no matter her size or melanin count should be buying into the infomercial hype that the world becomes two deeper shades of mauve or that she’s more worthy of anything if she drops some pounds. Not only is it not true (weight loss is a start, but as a life coach I can tell you on good word it takes more than dropping inches to really change your life), it’s a damaging mindset.

I’m quite proud that the Blame-Shame-Game surrounding weight is a trap most Black women have managed not to fall into. Do we as a people need to get more fit? Undoubtedly. Our collective weight issues put us at higher risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, and premature death. But to imply lower self-esteem or shame about our sizes should be a motivating factor? It’s a shame researchers should think that it should be.

—from Essence via A Black Girl’s Guide to Weight Loss

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  1. theory143 posted this