Weight Stigma Awareness Week 2019 #WSAW2019

1

 

In an enlightening hadith (prophetic narration), the Prophet  tells us that no one with an ounce of arrogance in his heart will enter Paradise. In seeking to understand what arrogance means, the companions asked “O Prophet of Allah, what if a person likes to dress well?” The Prophet  responded, “Allah is beautiful and loves beauty. Arrogance is rejecting truth and looking down on people” [Muslim]

 

Dear Readers,

 

We hope you’ll Stand up for BEDA’s Weight Stigma Awareness Week 2019, dedicated to how weight stigma and weight discriminiation affects people of all sizes. This week is also an opportunity for all of us to reflect on how we treat people, who are different in size. We often forget how our words can really harm people and cut deep at people’s heart. Ridiculing someone as fat or obese is not funny and is not acceptable in Islam. We stand in solidarity with BEDA and NEDA and supports their Weight Stigma Awareness Week 2019, #WSAW2019. Weight stigmatization threatens individuals’ psychological and physical health by increasing the risk for depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and body dissatisfaction. The psychological toll of weight stigmatization can be devastating. Overweight youth who are stigmatized about their weight are 2-3 times more likely to engage in suicidal thoughts and behaviors compared with their overweight peers who are not stigmatized. According to Council on Size and Weight Discrimination: People who are larger than average encounter discriminatory attitudes and are denied equal opportunity in many areas of their lives: Prospective employers refuse to hire large size people, especially in jobs where employees do physical work, or jobs where employees interact with the public.

 

Weight discrimination is prevalent in our society. We are lucky that our Media in Muslim World is not too focused on promoting malnourished looks,  If we switch on Al Arabiya, Royal Tv, Al-Hiwar, Rotana, Turkish Channels, Iranian Channels or even some of the Pakistani channels, one feels immense relief at seeing women of all shapes and sizes.  Last Week a Pakistanui Female Anchor Juggun Kazim spoke out against body shaming in a heart breaking post on Instagram, prior to that few other Pakistani Actors such as Sanam Jung, Zara Noor Abbasi spoke about weight discrimination and body shaming. In honour of WSAW2019, we would like to focus on weight stigma that people in Muslim culture face, especially some countries in Middle East and Asia where bias, stigma, and discrimination due to weight are frequent experiences for many  individuals especially women, which have serious consequences for their personal and social well being and overall health. We often overlook how this stigmatization threatens  individuals’ psychological and physical health by increasing the risk for depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and body dissatisfaction.

 

Our Message: End weight discrimination in health care, media, education, employment, social interactions, and many other areas of life. Lets Unite and Stand Together to make the world better for people of all sizes.

One thing You can do Today- “Don’t laugh at “fat jokes”. Interrupt sizism or weight discrimination when it is possible by pointing it out and expressing your opinion that it is wrong. Council on Size and Weight Discrimination

 

Please Find Below WSAW2019 Post from NEDA

 

 

NEDA’s merger with BEDA last fall was an important step toward unifying the eating disorders community and improving access to services and support across the entire spectrum of these illnesses. NEDA is committed to continuing many of the contributions BEDA made to the eating disorders field; and for the first time ever, NEDA will host the annual Weight Stigma Awareness Week (#WSAW2019) the week of September 23-27, 2019.

During NEDA’s first Weight Stigma Awareness Week, we want to help the broader eating disorders community understand why weight stigma should matter to everyone, not only those in higher weight bodies. Especially when it comes to eating disorders—all eating disorders—we, as a community, need to understand how weight stigma and weight discrimination affect people of all sizes, how it contributes to or exacerbates eating disorders in people of all sizes, and how we call work together with a unified voice to eliminate stigma and discrimination based on body size.

 

 

Click Here For Frequently Asked Questions about Weight Stigmatisation 

 

Let’s Get Social

Join the conversation on social media. Let’s understand how weight stigma and weight discriminiation affects people of all sizes, how it contributes to or exacerbates eating disorders in people of all sizes, and how we call work together with a unified voice to eliminate stigma and discrimination based on body size.

Don’t forget to use our campaign hashtags in your social media posts: #WSAW2019 & #ComeAsYouAre, and follow us on FacebookInstagramTwitterYouTube, and LinkedIn.

SHAREABLE GRAPHICS

 

 

 

SAMPLE MESSAGES

  • Mark your calendars! Weight Stigma Awareness Week 2019 (#WSAW2019) is coming soon! Join the conversation on September 23 – 27th & learn about #weightstigma within and outside of the #eatingdisorders community. #ComeAsYouAre www.myneda.org/wsaw
  • Save the Date: Weight Stigma Awareness Week 2019 (#WSAW2019) is 9/23 – 9/27. We’re excited to join [@neda (IG) // @nedastaff (Twitter)] and work together with a unified voice to eliminate stigma and discrimination based on body size. #ComeAsYouAre www.myneda.org/wsaw
  • #DidYouKnow weight stigma impacts everyone, not only those in higher weight bodies? #ComeAsYouAre and learn more during Weight Stigma Awareness Week (#WSAW2019) taking place September 23 – 27, 2019. www.myneda.org/wsaw
Share.

About Author

Islam and Eating Disorders founded in 2012 – run by Maha Khan, the blog creates awareness of Eating Disorders in the Muslim world, offers information and support for sufferers and their loved ones.

1 Comment

  1. Pingback: Weight Stigma Awareness Week (#WSAW2020), on September 28 - October 2, 2020 - Islam and Eating Disorders

Leave A Reply