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Why we’re not OK with body shaming

by Year 6, Cottingley Primary Academy – 4th Jul 2018

We’ve been running a campaign which we feel VERY strongly about it. We’ve seen lots of examples of body shaming in top-selling magazines and we don’t like it. People buy these and read these and think it’s OK.

What is body shaming?

Body shaming is when someone brings you down cause of what you look like. They seem to think you should look a certain way. It’s more aimed at females – as if you need to be really skinny, have long legs and flowing hair – and if you don’t there’s something wrong with you. This could make you feel ashamed and worthless. An example is fat shaming – saying you think someone is overweight and judging them, like if they don’t have the ‘perfect beach body’.

What we aren’t happy about this

  • Because words do hurt.  It’s just bullying. It makes me feel sad. I am eleven years old and children my age are easily influenced. It could make you feel doubtful and ashamed of yourself. We are all humans – you should be pulling us up not pushing us down.
  • What you put on the internet stays there forever and can haunt people for the rest of their lives.
  • These people who write in the magazines get paid to make fun of people, and it could influence other people to bully.
  • It makes me worried for high school incase people say similar things to me as they do in these magazines.
  • If I have a similar feature I compare myself to the person they’re shaming. It ruins and destroys people’s self esteem.

What do we think the magazines and the media should do instead?

Just stop doing this – it makes people upset.

Say something nice! Comment on how beautiful people look or say something about them not their looks. Talk about people’s achievements.

They could do the ‘best dressed’ instead of the ‘worst dressed’?

Have more true stories which are inspirational! Write about more important things  – like a new species of animal which has just been discovered or news from around the world.

What we think parents and others could do to help

Talk to your children and tell them that what the magazines are saying is wrong and not true and they don’t have to look a certain kind of way.

Don’t buy these magazines!

What could you do if people make body shaming comments to you?

Think. Walk away. Tell someone you trust so you can talk about it.

Ignore them because they have no right to judge you. Nobody is perfect! And bullying is NEVER ok.

Get help from others if you feel insecure.

Do whatever you want to do – no one can stop you!

This blog was written by Saima, Takiyah, Elimae, Olivia, Darine, Hayden, Amelia and Mckenzie on behalf of Year 6 from Cottingley Primary Academy.

If you’re worried about being bullied and not sure how to get help read more on the MindMate bullying page.


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Comments

  1. WOW! What an amazing blog! Well done Year 6’s. I hope you all feel proud of your body 🙂

  2. Great work especially with high school coming up where we leave some of our old relationships behind and look forward to making new ones

  3. I am incredibly proud of your mature and sensitive attitude, year six. You have great futures ahead of you all with the power to educate others about these serious, important issues. When you leave Cottingley, I have no doubt that you will continue to make us all proud. A huge well done from me!

  4. This is great for children to express they feeling of them self and others (welldone Yr 6) but I strongly feel this should b encouraged to pass down in other classes to encourage all children that not every1 the same and every1 has there own personal ID whether it’s looks colour ect 🙂 A FRIEND IN NEED IS A FRIEND IN DEED :).

  5. Some amazing and very important things raised here – what an incredible post! Well done to all Yr 6s from Cottingley Primary – it’s great to see how passionate you are about something like this. Do keep on talking about this and other challenging things! Well done!

  6. Wow! Great points and explanations year 6! Thank you for raising this important issue and being excellent mini MindMate Ambassadors. Keep campaigning! Your voice is important!

  7. I was one of the girls from year 6 who wrote this blog entry and it was a pleasure to work with the Mindmate ambassadors and just talk. People need to understand that these magazines are transmitting bullying and that everyone has a voice. Use it to make a change in the world for the better.

  8. I am also proud that I got to speak my mind
    because it isn’t ok and the fact I spoke my opinion makes me feel even better. I am one of the girls who helped write this and I am thankful that the mindmate workers took our opinions and just that. Thank you!

  9. I used to be called too skinny.. it made me feel different but at the time I didn’t think it was body shamming because I was underweight and not overweight

  10. I think this is a real great article post.Much thanks again.

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