Body-Shaming Is Abuse

Are you aware that body-shaming is abuse? Most people haven’t thought of it as such, yet anything used to mistreat another, any act of cruelty or violence, and any words spoken to shame, insult, or offend is abuse. Body-shaming falls within these categories. Chances are, you have been affected by body-shaming in one way or another, for it is a common trait within society. We, who have been the recipients of this abuse, battle its lasting effects throughout our lifetime.

During a recent phone call with a friend, I listened to her agonized words as she conveyed to me that she has never felt good about how she looks in her clothing. She said that due to her body type, she saw it as a sentence to never be beautiful. My heart ached for this dear friend as she spilled out her heartfelt words, caused by society’s body-shaming. This friend of mine has a strong, robust body shape, which may not reflect the form our media portrays as beautiful. But who are they to say what is beautiful and what is not?

My friend also has a gentle, glowing face, always expressing joy and compassion. She is kind and giving through and through. Whenever I’m around this friend, her words and actions have a profound impact on me, causing me to walk away from our conversations feeling better about myself than before. If that is not beauty, then I don’t know what is. This dear friend radiates pure beauty found in few.

Body-Shaming Is Abuse

Too many of us have suffered from body-shaming abuse. This includes me. I know how painful the sting of body-shaming can be. I grew up in the 80s, when the ideal body type portrayed in movies, on TV, and other forms of media was tall and skinny with no curves. At five-foot-four, in no way am I considered tall. And even though I have never been overweight, I have definite curves.

When, as an adolescent, I began to develop, I did everything I could to hide my forming shape. Repressing shame covered me like a heavy cloak each time I looked into the mirror. To make matters worse, from junior high age on, my abusive parents stopped giving me money for school lunches. They said that I “didn’t need it.” I also witnessed my overtly critical parents condemn any overweight person they saw, labeling them as evil because of their size. See https://crystalmmhuntley.com/2024/02/religious-abuse-can-you-see-the-signs/.

My parents’ actions, combined with society’s view on an acceptable body type, pushed me into anorexia. Like I stated before, those of us who have been the recipients of body-shaming abuse battle its lasting effects throughout our lifetime. Despite all the healing work I have done over the years, I still, from time to time, battle whispers of the anorexic mindset. I have come to believe that wounds of abuse never completely go away. The best we can do is use such wounds to help others, and in so doing, those wounds become strengths.

Body Shaming Originates from Hatred.

I believe that when someone resorts to body shaming, they do so out of some deep-seated hatred. It may stem from an inability to love themselves. So, to feel good about themselves, they cut others down. Or the hatred their actions reflect may come from numerous other sources. Whatever the reason may be, my minister, Meg Trimm, stated it well.

“Hate, just like love, is an action. If love means seeking the well-being of another, then hate means seeking the suffering or destruction of the other.” – Meg Trimm

Simply put, when a person engages in body shaming, they are causing suffering and destruction to others.

Another form of body shaming includes the persecution of those who look or act differently than what may be considered the norm, that is, at least to the one who is doing the shaming. Racial and gender discrimination fall under this category. Whatever those words and actions are, if they don’t come from love meant to build a person up, encouraging them to be the best they can be, then they are causing suffering and destruction, as only hateful shaming words and actions can do.

We All Are Beautiful!

Everyone is beautiful in their own unique way. Sadly, society upholds such a limited viewpoint on beauty. I look at the abundant variety of flowers God has created, each one spectacularly beautiful in its own way. And at the same time, each species is considerably different than the other. If we can see such a vastness of beauty displayed in horticulture, why can’t we also see it among ourselves?

Yet, a flower’s beauty quickly fades. In the same way, humankind’s surface beauty does not last. However, when nurtured, our inner beauty continues to grow over time and never fades, never losing its magnificence. This inner beauty should be the only beauty that matters.

All of God’s children result from our Heavenly Parent’s artistic handiwork. All our Savior’s creations are perfect and beautiful, including you. Society feeds us the lie that only those with a specific body shape fall into the specification deemed as attractive. That damaging falsehood has harmed countless of our Savior’s beautiful children. I beg you to cast out that lie and celebrate your perfect beauty.

On every blog, I always include what I call a “Crystalism.” I’ve created these “Crystalisms” from photos that Rich and I have taken. Then I added uplifting words or scriptures, hoping to help erase lies told by this world and fill you with God’s truth. A truth I wish to drive home to you, my readers, is that you are worthy, and you are beautiful. I am here to celebrate that truth with you.

To see more Crystalisms, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/1360983917796761.

Daily Affirmation

Recently, Rich and I watched the movie The Help. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-help-2011. In this movie, one of the main characters, a nanny named Minny Jackson, played by Octavia Spencer, frequently gives a solid affirmation to the child she cares for.

“You’re kind. You’re intelligent. You’re important.”—from The Help

Minny repeats these self-affirming words to help this child battle against the lies of the world and never lose touch with the truth of her inner value.

I love that affirmation. “You’re kind. You’re intelligent. You’re important.” How different my life would have been if someone had cared enough to instill that truth in me as I developed from childhood into an adult. I may not have received that blessing during those important growing-up years, but it is not too late because I can repeat this blessing to myself now. I can surround myself with self-affirming words, and in so doing, heal even more as I grow to recognize my own unique beauty.

Upcoming Posts

I invite you to join me next time to explore how people pleasing often results from abuse.

Note to My Readers

To further support your healing journey, I’ve added a direct access hotline/resource page to my website. Find it at https://crystalmmhuntley.com/resources/.

Writing is my passion. It is also an excellent healing tool. The beauty of fiction is that it allows you to create outcomes that don’t exist in the everyday world, which is why I have chosen to write my book in this genre. I pray that all who indulge in my written creations find entertainment and enjoyment, and that you also become inspired to move forward in your healing journey. I pray that all who indulge in my written creations find entertainment and enjoyment, and that you also become inspired to move forth in your healing journey.

Hopefully, you have gained value from this blog post. If you have, I would like to offer you the opportunity to purchase my books. You can purchase The Hidden Diamond and Robin’s Gift here at BUY THE BOOK – Crystal MM Huntley.

An additional site where you can find my books is https://bkbookshoppe.com. However, if you prefer to purchase from Amazon, you will find The Hidden Diamond at http://www.amazon.com/The-Hidden-Diamond-Crystal-MM-Huntley/dp/1665573767 and Robin’s Gift at https://www.amazon.com/Robins-Gift-Crystal-MM-Huntley/dp/B0CVL7746N.

Each purchase of my books supports my mission to break the chains of abuse. Once you have read either of my books, feel free to leave a review on the site from which you purchased it. Your review will encourage others to seek out the path of healing.

***The Hidden Diamond*** – Immerse yourself in a journey that uncovers the worth of a wounded soul amongst a lifetime of sin.

***Robin’s Gift*** – Lost and alone, Natalie’s biggest dream is to fulfill her desire to be loved. A tragic accident calls her home. Can she return and face her greatest fear?

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Body-Shaming Is Abuse

Body Shaming Originates from Hatred.

We All Are Beautiful!

Daily Affirmation

Upcoming Posts

Note to My Readers

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