This all started when this perfectly normal sized, gorgeous woman that I worked with casually announced on Monday that she'd like to lose a few pounds.
I didn't say anything to her, because everything that came to mind was either a lie or inappropriate.
I could have said, "You don't need to! You are perfectly fine the way you are!" which would have been the truest thing I could have said to her, from my point of view. However, I am not her, I do not live in her body, and I am not about to tell her how to experience her life.
I could have said, "Me too." That would have been the lie. I do not want to lose a few pounds. I want to lose a lot of pounds. My diet talk is completely different from her diet talk. She wants to lose a few pounds so she can fit into her size 8 jeans; I lose the kind of weight she's talking about losing in carbon exhalation while I sleep.
I could have said, "Women's body images are controlled by the patriarchy! Be a radical!" This would have been met with a polite "Ok." She's nice like that.
I didn't say anything else I was thinking either. I didn't say anything, because there was simply nothing helpful to say. I just nodded and began to
explain to her my super awesome teaching plans for the week.
No comments:
Post a Comment