SKINNY PEOPLE HAVE FEELINGS TOO!

So as I am starting to write my project/dissertation on body dysmorphia in women in relation to Instagram, I have been challenging a lot of assumptions based on body image and I have been speaking to a lot of my peers in relation to this concept.

It has always played on my mind and I have been a victim of it myself, that there is an assumption that 'skinny' people do not have feelings or do not take offence to being called skinny or for people to comment on their weight. Well, if you are slim and have ever been judged or made to feel insecure or bad about your body, you will know exactly where I am coming from.

On numerous occasions in my life, I have been made to feel dreadful about my body, whereas it is pretty evident that this has been the object of comment of someone jealous or just down right ignorant. It seems that the trends which have followed on social media such as #thinspiration #loveyourbody etc are only for those who carry a bit more weight that everyone else. I am not pointing the finger at anyone nor am I stereotyping that it is only fat people who call down skinny people (although it is in my personal experience.) I am simply stating that I do not think that people who are slim are treated in the same manner than a person who is fat is.

For example, if I were to call someone 'fat' out of the blue or to comment on their weight for no reason at all just to point out the obvious, there would be an up roar and this would be regarded as a terrible and horrible thing to say. Yet daily experiences have highlighted that it is in fact okay for other people to comment on my own weight and friends of mine who are slim, and call them 'skinny.'

This is not acceptable.

I do believe that if a person comments on your weight they are saying this for a reason not just because they have an uncontrollable urge to comment on your appearance. We don't go about stating 'you have eyes' yet people think it is okay to state 'you are skinny' or my personal favourite 'you're a skinny minnie' by laughing or adding 'minnie' into the comment apparently this is now a laughable and lighthearted comment' if I responded with 'well shamu jump back into the ocean and shove your comments up your arse' I don't think the person would still be laughing, do you?

THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK & TREAT PEOPLE HOW YOU WANT TO BE TREATED.

The Great Bridge of Allan Bake Off

Elena Menchetti, Bake off Organiser

A charity bake off will be held in Bridge of Allan next week to raise money for Speur-Ghlan, a local charity dedicated to helping young children experiencing development delays.

The annual charity event hosted by cafe owner Elena Menechetti will take place on Sunday the 18^th of October at 12pm at the Hideaway Cafe in Bridge of Allan. The tickets for the bake off are £5 and can be bought on the day of the competition at the Cafe.

Participants can enter as a baker or a judge in the competition and all proceeds will go to Speur-Ghlan, to support young children with autism spectrum disorders.

Members of the public and the local shop owners in the Bridge of Allan area can raise money for the event by donating prizes, selling raffle tickets and the cakes after the bake off. 

Elena Menechetti, the organiser of the bake off states, “People aren’t aware that the charity is down the lane, as it started off small. It is such a good charity because it is for such a good cause. Its spread quite well now because it’s local and everyone loves a bit of local charity instead of donating to somewhere else.”

Speur-Ghlan is a local charity based in the heart of Bridge of Allan which provides therapy for children up to five years old with development delays including autism. The founder of the charity, Dr. Ruth Glynne-Owen uses verbal only approaches such as pivotal response therapy and one to one session’s to improve the language skills of children who find communication challenging. Recent research shows that 95% of children who experience pivotal response therapy before the age of three develop functional speech.

Dr. Ruth Glynne-Owen, the founder and CEO of Speur-Ghlan says, “The hideaway is an excellent supporter of the charity and as they are so close, by many of our families enjoy spending time there. They find the staff team to be so friendly and welcoming of their children no matter what their challenges might be. Elena first ran this event for us last year and as well as raising us much needed funds, the event helped raise our profile in the local area and make bridge of Allan residents more aware of what we do.”