We all have that friend who throws the bait: “My stomach is so flabby.” Then you or another friend chimes in, “Shut up! You’re so skinny. Look at my thighs, they’re disgusting,” and the discussion continues until everyone has stated what they hate about themselves yet no one else in the group agrees with them. Sound familiar?
This ritual that tends to occur in groups of female friends may appear to be a harmless game of go-fish for compliments, but the results of “fat talk” can be detrimental to self-esteem and can distort body image.
According to Huffington Post an anthropologist, Mimi Nichter coined the term “fat talk” after studying teenage girls in the ‘90s and noticing that it occurred frequently.
A group of freshmen girls I spoke to at the SRC said that they’ve been a part of “fat talk” before and agreed that although the reassurance may make them feel better temporarily, it can hurt too.
“When girls do that they’re looking for people to agree with them,” said business freshman Terra Concordia.
“It’s also for attention,” added Sarah Carlson, a biochemistry freshman. “They’re looking for compliments.”
Whether it’s for attention, bonding with girlfriends or genuine concern over a specific body part, the fat talk needs to stop.
The sorority Tri Delta began a campaign against body bashing called Fat Talk Free Week, which is Oct. 16-22, educating sororities and college students nationwide about the undesirable effects of fat talk, including eating disorders and depression. It's effects are startling.
According to a Harvard University study that asked 3,200 women if they considered themselves beautiful, only two percent answered yes.
Taking a stand against fat talk isn’t always easy. In fact, women who don’t engage in fat talk may be distanced from their group of friends.
In a scene from “Mean Girls,” The Plastics are gathered around Regina George’s mirror discussing their flaws and moping while Lindsay Lohan’s character laments that she didn’t realize there were so many body problems other than “fat” and “skinny”.
These politics of the girl world where fat talk is common and self-confidence is a red flag, tend to be associated with high school and college girls but the fat talk is getting louder and louder for girls who should be playing hide and seek, not worrying about their weight.
According to statistics in Margo Maine’s book “Body Wars: Making Peace with Women’s Bodies,” 42 percent of first, second and third grade girls said they wanted to be thinner while nine percent of 9-year-old girls admitted to vomiting in an attempt to lose weight.
As college students we are mentors to younger family members, children we might babysit and our peers. Our words have consequences.
Next time you don’t have anything nice to say about yourself or the girl across the room, change it to a positive statement. What have you got to lose?
Reach the columnist at tafergu1@asu.edu.
