‘That day was a big turning point’ – women in Ireland share experiences of body shaming

The Eating Disorders Association of Ireland recently released the shocking information that children as young as 10 are being diagnosed with eating disorders in Ireland.

We asked Her readers at what age they started to experience body shaming and 92 percent said they were made to feel uncomfortable about their bodies when they were still children. 41 percent said they were 10 or younger when it first happened to them and 51 percent were between 11 and 17. Her readers took to social media to share their body shaming stories with us, using the hashtag #MyBodyStory. https://twitter.com/codenamewallaby/status/1123149057134878720 Not all the stories were negative, with some women sharing their journey towards body acceptance and self-love. For Twitter user, @Orchidsbudget pregnancy and childbirth was a transformative experience. https://twitter.com/orchidsbudget/status/1122970328551104512 The effect of the repeal the 8th campaign was cited by several people as either causing them to lose or put on weight. NUI Seanad candidate Ber Grogan said the stress of campaigning caused her to lose a lot of weight. https://twitter.com/bergro30/status/1122969200769863680 https://twitter.com/gaaylisasimpson/status/1122855793873825793 Several women spoke of how living with long-term illness made it more difficult for them to feel love and appreciation for their bodies. Writer and photographer Lissa believes that women's pain is often downplayed and that their weight can be used against them by some medical professionals.

"I know a lot of women with chronic illnesses were initially told they just need to lose weight and their symptoms weren't taken seriously for years because of it."

https://twitter.com/lissathewriter/status/1122846268181630977 Dublin woman Dáirne said running a marathon gave her an appreciation for her body.

"What I loved about the marathon and what I love about running is that it's so inclusive, it doesn't matter what size or shape you are, everyone's out there, pounding the pavements." "I remember seeing photos from that day of me running and thought I looked awful in them all, then I saw a photo that was taken at mile 25, and I was able to smile and give a thumbs up, and honestly, that was it, if I could still crack a smile at mile 25 of my first ever marathon, then that was just awesome. I'm nearly 30, and I am really and truly more body positive than I've ever been."

https://twitter.com/Dairne_Black/status/1122957627284164608 The experience of our readers who were body shamed as children seems to be still happening to children in Ireland today. The Eating Disorder Association of Ireland statistics shows that 1,700 new cases of eating disorders are diagnosed each year, with the youngest children aged just ten years of age. Their support organisation BodyWhys, says that calls from or about pre-teens account for around ten percent of those contacting them, but research suggests only a very small number of people with eating disorders ever seek help. Irish children ranked second last in the KIDSCREEN study of children's self-perception undertaken in thirteen countries. In our reader poll, 57 percent told us they had experienced pressure to change their appearance from the depictions of women they had seen in popular culture, advertising and the fashion world. 33 percent said they had been body shamed by family and/or friends. The experience of our readers and the current statistics on Irish children, show us the importance of speaking positively to children about our own and their bodies, and the need for a diverse range of bodies in media.