Editorial Ta Nea: The scourge of body shaming

In front of a keyboard, one’s worst self may be revealed.

Behind the superficial sense of greatness from a few thousand likes, some people feel so important that they can ridicule their fellow human beings due to their weight.

Body shaming is thriving due to the new realities shaped by social networking sites, but as we learned recently because a young woman was mocked because of her weight and clothing, it can be fought through the social media.

Ta Nea is examining a social issue that has tended to become a scourge over the last years – the shame many people feel about their bodies due to the negative comments to which they are subjected by the broader social environment.

Body shaming is a form of intimidation and that is the only way it should be viewed. It is not commentary. It is not an expression of an opinion, and it is most certainly not humorous. It is not a legitimate reaction. It is bullying.

That is why it is critical to continue the effort that has begun in order to stigmatise and uproot it.

All that we have learned and by and large accepted in contemporary Western societies regarding respect for diversity must not be limited only to the acceptance of others’ religious or sexual preferences, or to their race and skin colour.

We must understand that just as every person is unique, each body is different.