Familial Weight Bullying in Public - How Do You React?

@talfonso (246)
United States
August 16, 2012 9:36am CST
Have you ever heard of familial weight bullying? Well, some of you have been through that situation: it could be your relatives pinching your arms, belly, or thighs because fat equals disgusting in their eyes. It might be having to eat something devoid of good fats and protein (all-veggie salads) while the rest of your family eats regular meals. Well, a segment on What Would You Do? features that situation. A mother in a T-shirt and towel around her chides her teenage daughter (who is wearing a bikini top and shorts) about her weight. She calls her disgusting and fat and compares her to a whale. She pinches her hips, thighs, and belly while she does that. In a similar situation, this would be too heart-rendering for me to ignore if I encountered that. I would confront her, but more calmly and rationally than the onlookers on the video. I would tell the teen that she looks beautiful, and then ask the mother to take a few deep breaths. I would tell her that her daughter must have had a weight problem and she might be in the process of losing weight and I would ask her whether she has the same problem too. (All bullies have problems of their own, and they take them out on others to make them feel better, by the way.) If she doesn't, I'd ask her what else is bothering her in her life. I'd then tell the teen to take deep breaths, even hug her and massage her. I would tell them both to take deep breaths, hug themselves, and repeat affirmations I learned to say from the Web and my mind. They are learning that it doesn't really matter if one's muffin top is hanging out of the shorts, but it's loving oneself that really counts. I'd tell them to do it everyday and then part with them politely. So what would you do if you witness someone's relative bulling him of her about his or her weight in public? Ignore them? Shame the assailant? Do what I would like to do if it goes too far, such as the relative pinching his or her hips, belly, or thighs? Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JJCzGiPjlQ
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