Women Share How Their Mom's Comments Growing Up Affected Their Body Image

  • 📰 BuzzFeed
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 118 sec. here
  • 3 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 50%
  • Publisher: 51%

United States Headlines News

United States Latest News,United States Headlines

'My mom always reminded me that she was thin until she had me.'

Women Are Sharing Comments Their Mothers Made To Them Growing Up That They Later Realized Were Projections Of Their Own Insecurities

"When I was a teenager, my mom made all kinds of hurtful comments about my body that probably led to my long-term eating disorder — which she would also make jokes about. It's unclear whether or not sherealized that I was legitimately struggling. She also always had something to say about my breast size. I'm a DDD, and she was an A cup — I must've gotten that from my dad's side of the family. When I was younger, I felt a lot of shame about my body and sex.

"My mom told me that I didn't have 'ballet arms' when I was 6 or 7. I quit dancing immediately and have always been self-conscious of my arms. My mom was a ballerina for 15 years. Recently, I learned that when she and her sister were little, a teacher had told her sister that she didn’t have ballet arms. I guess it made my mom feel special to have been chosen, and she wanted to continue to feel special by putting me down.

"My mom told me that I 'looked like a whore' when I was 12 and tried mascara on my lower lashes for the first time. She made sure I didn't really get a grip on makeup until my 20s. She also commented that I looked like 'a homeless child on the street' after I chose my own, slightly hippie-style clothes at a flea market when I was 14. She gave me the impression that I just wasn't a visual person. It lasted until my 20s.

"When I was 21, I was depressed because I broke up with my abusive boyfriend who I somehow wanted back. I weighed 99 pounds. My bones showed everywhere. When my parents came to visit, my mom said, 'You look so good, skinny, and slim like that!' I told her that I'd barely eat and cry myself to sleep every night. After a few moments of silence, she replied, 'It's going to be fine. Just don't get fat like I did.

"My mom kept all her journals from her teen years. She had a very obvious, undiagnosed eating disorder, so these journals mostly contain obsessive measurements of her chest, waist, hips, dress size, and weight. She used to get drunk and weigh me to point out how I was much 'less hot and healthy' compared to her. She would also tell me that I was 'wasting the great genes she gave me' by not being thin. Big yikes. As you might expect, it created an eating disorder.

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.
We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 730. in US

United States Latest News, United States Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

For Elyse Walker, Retail Success Means Women Supporting WomenWith three new stores and a growing omnichannel business, Walker is WWD’s 2023 Best-Performing Retailer, Small Cap.
Source: wwd - 🏆 24. / 68 Read more »

Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom Share a Kiss After Playing Pickleball Against Each OtherKaty Perry and Orlando Bloom shared a kiss after their friendly game of pickleball at the inaugural Light Up The Court Pickleball tournament, which aimed to raise funds for Katy's Firework Foundation to support underserved kids.
Source: etnow - 🏆 696. / 51 Read more »

Roundtable: Palestinian Americans share their perspectives on conflict in GazaThe health ministry in Gaza reports at least 3,700 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since October 7. How are Palestinian Americans processing the ongoing conflict?
Source: WBUR - 🏆 274. / 63 Read more »

Utah families share emotional, financial struggles of infertilityUtah prides itself on being a family-centered state but despite the overwhelming desire to have children, infertility affects more people than you may realize.
Source: KUTV2News - 🏆 281. / 63 Read more »

Warriors' fans share love for the team despite opening game 104-108 lossGolden State Warriors fans came with high hopes and high spirits Tuesday for the opening game of the 2023-2024 NBA season at Chase Center between the Warriors and the Phoenix Suns.
Source: KTVU - 🏆 465. / 53 Read more »

19 People Share Their Real Life Serial Killer Encounters'I just talked with Paul, and we figured this photo was taken right after he committed his second murder.'
Source: BuzzFeed - 🏆 730. / 51 Read more »