“A few years ago, I went shopping in a popular store in the city. I asked the saleswoman for a sleeveless top and her reply is etched into my memory.
“That won’t suit you, ma’am.”
She took me to the ethnic wear section saying “ma’am, ye acha lagega aap pe”. I was alone and embarrassed. I simply walked out. In retrospect, I could have complained against her or at least told her how it was none of her business. I was too naive.
I was wrong to think that this would be the last time I would encounter with a situation like that. There are times when I gave it back to people who told me ‘what to eat’ and surprisingly, they got offended.
It’s funny when people make it their responsibility to fling advice your way. Throughout my life, I have been called many names, especially in school. There have been days when I hated how I looked. I stopped playing badminton because other kids didn’t want to play with a ‘fat’ girl. My former boyfriend broke up with me saying his friends think that I am too fat to be with him. That was the moment which ran through me like a dagger to the heart. Insecurities took over and depression became my shadow. Things took time but I got over it, eventually. So, when I joined grad school, I was mentally ready for the bullying and body-shaming. Surprisingly, there was nothing. I made friends who went on to become my support system. Dare I say, I got lucky.
I’m a comedian today. I use my stage to speak about this. What my boyfriend said during the breakup often finds space in my stand-up set.
Today, I love how I look. But it’s not easy to get here. I believe that it all starts at home. Stop comparing your kid to another, more suitable and better looking one. Stop body-shaming – especially stop those casual jokes and name-calling.
Loving oneself is hard enough and a rarity at that, let’s not make it harder.”

#BodyShaming #BreakingtheBarriers #Stereotypes #Fatshaming #selflove #Responsibility #Bullyingawareness #stopbullying #Empower #Support #bodypositive #Society #Strength #Standup #Hyderabad #HumansofHyderabad