Welcome to the fatphobic adventures of fat Michelle part 3!
Did you know that the only countries in the world where the suicide rate in women is higher than in men is in Hong Kong and China?
Obviously there are a myriad of reasons for this but I find it most interesting if you consider body image.
Hong Kong will always have a special place in my heart but I won’t lie, the fatphobia and general body shaming often feels like a time portal. Not only is it acceptable to comment on someone’s body but it is not unusual for someone to say “wow you’ve got fat” instead of saying hi. It’s either that or “you’ve got skinny, you need to eat”. And that’s not even discussing this outdated stereotype that all Asians are skinny. I’ve had one too many jokes about how I must have skipped the “Asian gene” in the weight department.
Through this little mini series, I know I might have created some fear around travelling. Please don’t be scared but instead be prepared. And remember that it wasn’t long ago, the U.K. were exactly the same.
I share this all not for the sympathy or to create more fear or anger but instead to be clear about what we are tackling. This body shaming beast is a big one and we are NOT DONE!! It’s easy to focus on an individual’s confidence and talk about the positives of one person overcoming their own body struggles but we also need to talk about the system. The system is flawed, not us. We change the system, not by ignoring it but acknowledging the flaws that exist. #ScarredNotScared