Size of people s bodies none of your business, says Van Damme
DA MP Phumzile Van Damme has again lambasted those who fat-shame on social media, telling her followers that noone has the right to police another person’s body.
Van Damme was left fuming when a Twitter user commented on her weight.
“I eat people who ask me about my weight — that ’ s why I’m so fat,” she hit back, adding: I’m sorry that you are struggling, Bhuti, but you don’t know what struggles I may be going through, you just assume gluttony. ”
The encounter sparked a debate on fat-shaming and led to a series of tweets on the topic by Van Damme.
Drawing from personal experience, Van Damme said her battle with a neurological condition, functional neurological disorder (FND), had left her in pain and unable to walk or exercise.
“I’ve been sick most of this year, a group of chronic illnesses, which have also upped my stress and anxiety levels, basically breaking my body.
“I have already spoken about FND, a rare illness with no cure but which can go into remission. Its effects has created others [sic].
“I spend most of my days in bed because I am in pain.
“Because it is a central nervous ‘ software ’, issue, I struggle to walk, and a variety of other musculoskeletal issues. Because I can’t walk or exercise, my weight has shot up.
“My weight gain has of course bothered me greatly but the group of doctors treating me tell me to chill and not worry too much about it for now and focus on my treatment.
“I sometimes hate what I see in the mirror but my husband reminds me that I am beautiful regardless of my size,” she revealed. She then advised her followers to “not give people unsolicited advice about their bodies, unless asked ”.
“Be kind. And also, mostly, the size of people’s bodies is none of your business.”
She also encouraged those struggling with their weight to keep reaching for their goal,
“trust in the process and know you ’ ll get there”. —