Why · would · anyone · want · to · read · this?

All of that, I knew. :)

Now, some of you who don't know me IRL may not know that I am a small lady. I've been under-weight my entire life. I can't gain weight. Breastfeeding my daughters made it even worse...I think at this point, my weight is literally what bones, skin, muscles and blood weigh in a 5'5" human, because I have nothing else in me...though I'm trying.

And I am amazed at how many things on my SIL's list apply to skinny people as well. Not that this is an "all about me" thing...I love her post and I'm trying to spread the word about it, but I think that everyone could do with a bit of tolerance-expanding knowledge.

For example:
1) Skinny people don't pull out skinny people to see what we "should" look like either. Its nice to know that we could spend thousands of dollars on a warddrobe to look like a magazine picture - but guess what? Nobody who isn't a pop star can actually live in those clothes. They aren't comfortable, they don't fit well, and you certainly cannot play with Play-Do in them!

2) We don't subsist on water and salads. Most skinny people are cursed with an "overactive motabilism" that means that no matter what we eat, we don't gain weight. I have tried to subsist on Big Macs and ice cream, and guess what? I was unhealthy AND underweight. Don't be jealous here - unhealthy eating is unhealthy eating, no matter what your weight is.

3) We don't spend 12 hours a day "in the gym" - but we probably should. Everyone who is underweight is at risk for weakened bones, and actually needs to exercise more than average and over- weight people. The muscles we have don't need to work hard to support our frames, and so we end up with more fragile bodies.

4) We don't want to wear belly-exposing 14-year old's clothing, but we often have to. Stores carry sizes 6-12 on average. What happens if you wear a size 4? You have to go to the 2 specialty shops in existance that cater to small people, and spend $100 just for a pair of pants that don't sag off your hips, or $50 on a shirt that fits across the shoulders but actually leaves room for breasts (most 14-year old's clothing assumes a flat chest).

5) We aren't sluts just because we're skinny. We don't want to be hit on by everyone just because of our looks. We aren't trying to take away the attention of men from other women...we're just trying to live our lives, too.

6) We have feelings, too. And assuming that we think fat people are disgusting or need to exercise or must be like us, is offensive and rude. We don't live our lives believing our body is the perfect type, its not. We don't go around proud that everyone wants to be "like us" - in fact, we want to shout at you DON'T DO IT!! You shouldn't want to be what you aren't - be proud to be your size, as long as you're _healthy_. Don't binge-diet, don't hate yourself, don't take MY body and hold it against me. Don't assume that I won't be hurt if you say "you're skinny, you don't understand", cuz I will.

So the whole point of both these posts? Don't make assumptions about someone's personality because of their body weight. :)

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