How #TheySaid Is Giving Women an Outlet Against Body Shaming

Women of all ages and all walks of life, bring their struggles to the public’s attention.

Women took to twitter to share their worst body shaming experiences (Photo: iStockPhoto/Altered by The Quint)

Over the last few years, social media has been a much needed outlet to voice all sorts of emotions.

Hashtags like #InappropriateFuneralSongs and #MomTexts flood our Twitter feed with an endless stream of laughter; others like #BringBackOurGirls and #MealforMeal help spark social change.

#TheySaid is one such movement, where women of all ages, and from all walks of life, are sharing instances of when they were body shamed by those closest to them.

The movement was started by Sally Bergensen, the CEO of Oiselle (an athletics apparel store for women), where she shared an experience of being body-shamed, from her past, and urged people to do the same.

Women from all walks of life and all ages took to twitter to share painful experiences of when they were body shamed.

From Family Members

Under the guise of ‘looking out for their best interests’, women are often made to feel shame over their weight and body shape from those closest to them.

From Friends

When children are ridiculed over their physical appearance, the results can be particularly harmful. What might be chalked down as ‘innocent jabs’ by some, can be emotionally scarring statements to others.

From Co-Workers

Body shaming is often most stark when it’s subtly implied.

How it Inspired #SheReplied

While a number of women shared their heartbreaking stories with the world, the Twitter trend empowered women to post their own responses to those who had shamed them in the past, with the hashtag #SheReplied.