Ruhani Verma

Growing up, I never really thought about my body that much. I was always active and healthy, and I never really had any issues with my weight. But when I got to high school, things changed. I started to notice that I didn’t look like the other girls in my classes. I was taller and broader than most of them, and I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb.

At first, I didn’t think much of it. But then I started to hear the whispers and the comments. People would say things like, “Wow, she’s so tall,” or “She’s kind of big, isn’t she?” It made me feel self-conscious and ashamed of my body.

I started to obsess over my weight and my appearance. I would spend hours at the gym, trying to lose weight and tone my body. I would skip meals and count every calorie. But no matter what I did, I never felt like I was good enough.

It wasn’t until I started to talk to other people about my experiences that I realised how common body shaming really is. So many people, especially women, are made to feel like they don’t measure up to some arbitrary standard of beauty. And it’s not just strangers who do it – sometimes it’s our own friends and family members.

But the truth is, there is no one ‘right’ way to look. We all come in different shapes and sizes, and that’s what makes us unique. We should be celebrating our differences, not tearing each other down.

It’s time to put an end to body shaming. We need to start promoting a culture of body positivity and self-love. We need to stop judging people based on their appearance and start valuing them for who they are as individuals.

As for me, I’m still learning to love my body just the way it is. It’s a journey, and it’s not always easy. But I know that I’m not alone, and that gives me hope. Together, we can create a world where everyone feels comfortable and confident in their own skin.