Calling someone “fat” can be a deeply painful insult, raising the question of why it holds such significance.
This topic gained attention after Allison, a mother of two, recounted a recent swimming trip with her children, where her 30-year-old daughter referred to her as fat. Allison’s thoughtful reaction has since gone viral online.
Allison Kimmey began dieting at 14 and maintained a size two to four throughout graduate school, but it was a constant battle that left her feeling unhappy.
Three years ago, at 27, she embraced a size eight and realized she would be much happier if she stopped resisting her weight gain.
To motivate herself, Allison started an Instagram account, @allisonkimmey, where she shares photos and uplifting content. Her body positivity message brings joy and encouragement to her followers, though it doesn’t always resonate with everyone.
Recently, while at the pool with her son and daughter, her daughter became upset as it was time to leave and called her fat.
Allison shared this experience on Instagram, intending to teach her children about respectful communication and to stress that everyone deserves respect, regardless of body shape. Her post emphasizing this message has now gone viral.
“If I shame my children for saying it, then I am reinforcing the idea that it is an insulting term, perpetuating the stigma that being fat is unworthy, gross, comical, and undesirable,” Allison explains.
