(no subject)
So Christmas was fine and all this year. I got lots of fun toys.
But being around family members brings up my biggest cross-generational pet peeve, and I was wondering if this drove anyone else as crazy as it does me.
As someone who grew up with many of the environmental factors that make developing an eating disorder ripe (being white, upper middle class, having nutso parents, taking ballet) there were a lot of anti-ED precautions drilled into my head by nervous adults. A lot of those things stuck with me (for example, I don't own a scale and usually only weigh myself if I'm at the doctor's office).
One thing that I took to heart and genuinely agree with is that you should never, ever, comment on someone's current weight. You don't know how sensitive a person is about their weight and in which way. Even a "compliment" usually sounds backhanded: "you lost weight! you look good!" can easily be interpreted that it's missing "...and believe me, you looked like a real heifer before."
The main reason I really agree with this sentiment is that I think that weight is no one's business except for the body it belongs to. My (or anyone else's) weight is not and should not be up for discussion. Despite the fact that my body visible, it is still something I consider private.
So yes, mother, father, grandfather, grandfather's wife (the worst offender) I AM uncomfortable when you ask me if I've lost weight. I know that old people love to talk about that shit with each other, but I find it impolite and in horrible taste when you bring it up. How many times for how many years do I have to say, "I don't know, can we please drop it?" Get with the fucking times and stop being so rude. I don't bring up your fat asses into conversation, so stop talking about mine (despite how adorable it is).
But being around family members brings up my biggest cross-generational pet peeve, and I was wondering if this drove anyone else as crazy as it does me.
As someone who grew up with many of the environmental factors that make developing an eating disorder ripe (being white, upper middle class, having nutso parents, taking ballet) there were a lot of anti-ED precautions drilled into my head by nervous adults. A lot of those things stuck with me (for example, I don't own a scale and usually only weigh myself if I'm at the doctor's office).
One thing that I took to heart and genuinely agree with is that you should never, ever, comment on someone's current weight. You don't know how sensitive a person is about their weight and in which way. Even a "compliment" usually sounds backhanded: "you lost weight! you look good!" can easily be interpreted that it's missing "...and believe me, you looked like a real heifer before."
The main reason I really agree with this sentiment is that I think that weight is no one's business except for the body it belongs to. My (or anyone else's) weight is not and should not be up for discussion. Despite the fact that my body visible, it is still something I consider private.
So yes, mother, father, grandfather, grandfather's wife (the worst offender) I AM uncomfortable when you ask me if I've lost weight. I know that old people love to talk about that shit with each other, but I find it impolite and in horrible taste when you bring it up. How many times for how many years do I have to say, "I don't know, can we please drop it?" Get with the fucking times and stop being so rude. I don't bring up your fat asses into conversation, so stop talking about mine (despite how adorable it is).