One of the most amazing things about social media is that it’s a place where so many different types of people, body shapes, personalities, looks, etc. are able to reside. Despite the fact that people this day and age are feeling more confident to step out and own their bodies online, they’re also getting shut down by these same websites and apps. These actions are not only toxic and bad for the creator of the content, but it’s also toxic towards the one’s who see it that has a similar body type.

If you’re a millennial and above, then you might know about or are used to the little body representation that’s typically in the media. There’s always been a certain look that gets showcased and has always been more accepted. As the years have gone by, people of all body types have been stepping out and as I said earlier, it’s truly an amazing sight. This is especially so for people who are bigger like myself. It’s hard growing up and having to fight the battle of loving yourself when the media is practically saying that someone your body type isn’t even good enough to be in the forefront.

This is why I’m so glad that there are people on social media like Sydney Bell, for example, who post so many body positivity videos and photos. Whether she’s wearing a bikini or sweats, she promotes wearing what you want and loving your body the way it is. People like me who are still learning to love their body 100% can see those posts and start to think “Maybe my body is okay the way it is.” Now, imagine that one person posting these things turn into hundreds.

Can you believe the representation and all of the different body types being shown!?

Now that you have that wonderful image in your mind, imagine those voices and images being shut down. Imagine suddenly seeing the people a little less that helped inspire you daily…or even not at all! Unfortunately, this is what’s been going on lately with some social media apps. Accounts of people with bigger bodies are having their content taken down, their accounts banned momentarily, and even deleted altogether. Doing this is toxic because it’s not only banning accounts of people doing the same thing that others with smaller bodies are doing, but it’s telling people with that body that they don’t need to be seen.

It also creates this cycle that our generation is trying to get out of, which is seeing those same body types being praised and having to fight for more representation. There could be someone who became inspired and started their own journey of self-love by posting their bodies more on social media. If they see that, then they could feel the need to be “safe” and pull back. Let’s also think about the creators who are not as strong or are simply tired of having their posts taken down. They could just become fed up and decide to stop posting their bodies. This takes even more representation off of social media and also can spread this mindset that if you have a bigger body, your post will be taken down anyway so why bother?

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Every single body is beautiful. Every lump, roll, stretch mark, and bump is beautiful and it matters that there are platforms where people can feel confident in showing that. There are already so many trolls that like to voice their (very wrong) opinions on these apps. The last thing that we [bigger people] want to do is have to deal with the fatphobic trolls AND fatphobic people behind the apps. However, if we need to, we will because our bodies deserve to be here just as anyone else’s body does. The toxicity must end.

How do you feel about this topic? Have you seen it happen or has it happed to you? Let’s chat!