Women are taking to Twitter to recall their experiences of body shaming — both recent and from childhood — by using the hashtag #TheySaid in an attempt to highlight the long-lasting impact of those hurtful comments.
Based on the question “What did “they” say to make you hate your body?” the hashtag is allowing women to have a platform to share the cruel comments they’ve received throughout their lives.
TheySaid also spurred an accompanying hashtag, #SheReplied, to help arm women with ways to respond to negative comments about their bodies and size.
By sharing the words once used to hurt them, these women are finding community in some of the most painful moments of their lives.
“You have such a pretty face. It’s a pity you’re so fat. No man will ever marry you.’ My Mother to me circa age 12 #TheySaid,” one user tweeted on Thursday.
“#theysaid ‘when we r done having kids, we’ll nip that, tuck that and lift those’. -my ex-husband on the last day he ever saw me unclothed”, wrote another.
“We need to change the way we speak to one another and to ourselves,” wrote another Twitter user. “Your weight does not determine your value as a human being. #TheySaid.”
