my cousin is naturally slim and i am the exact opposite. so no matter how much i say i wanted to be like her, or no matter how much she says she wanted to be like me we don't understand each other. i have never been skinny, and she's never been fat. if you're naturally skinny or obese you don't understand the opposite, this is how it goes.

This is me down to the very last detail! I'm so skinny that when I wear a bikini I look anorexic. And I can't gain weight to save my life. I get criticized for being so skinny, like it's somehow my fault and it's so annoying because there really is nothing I can do about my weight. In fact, when I try and gain weight I end up losing more!

No, it is never okay to 'berate' someone for how they look, but let's be clear: the thin, even emaciated, woman is still held to be the beauty ideal. There is a FAR greater stigma against overweight people than the naturally thin. It is just as difficult for an overweight person to find clothes that fit, they also deal with people judging them and assuming they are unhealthy...healthy is still synonymous with thin in this society. My main issue is that the naturally thin can bitch about being too skinny (while people look enviously on) while the naturally bigger woman or man can never complain about their issues because they will simply be told to lose weight (while people roll their eyes). So is your point that mean people suck? Every body type has its shortcomings, but complaining about it only promotes the idea that one is better than the other. Accept your natural shape and the POSITIVE aspects that come with it--I'm sure you can find some. Also, as someone who suffered (and still suffers) from EDNOS, I can't tell you how much I would have killed to have someone think I was anorexic at the height of my disorder (as sick as that sounds) At my thinnest, I was still on the low end of my weight range but not in anorectic territory. I think as a society we need to be more aware that eating disorders, like people, come in all shapes and sizes--an extreme amount of damage can be done to the body before anyone starts noticing that someone is 'too' thin. If you see all the signs of an eating disorder, regardless of the size and appearance of the person in question, reach out to them! Sorry for that little service announcement, just trying to spread awareness. And I'm in agreement with the original poster in that particular sense: just as 'fat' doesn't necessarily mean 'unhealthy', 'skinny' doesn't necessarily mean 'eating disorder'.

Yourmum - I would rather not be criticised at all for my size. Calling someone a toothpick or calling them fat - both mean.

More than the post, I actually loved reading all the comments :D Point is, we all think the grass is greener on the other side. Skinny people want to put on weight. Overweight people want to lose weight. Who do we blame? The brainwashing media and society, I'd like to think. The only thing we should really ask ourselves is are we healthy? Of course then life would be too easy...