Celebrating plus size women
Theseus Shambare
BODY shaming — the act of subjecting someone to humiliation and criticism for their bodily features — is fast becoming a scourge that is fuelling severe mental health problems.
Songs that mock people who are heavily built are common among the youth.
One such song, “Dhafu dhunda rapedza loaf ramhamha”, is popular among young people.
Heavily built people are sometimes sarcastically referred to as “Humpty Dumpties”.
Humpty Dumpty is a character in a nursery rhyme.
Some people are using digital platforms to bully and body shame innocent souls.
There are victims of cyberbullying who end up taking life-threatening moves as they seek attention and approval.
Olinda Chapel, a United Kingdom-based Zimbabwean socialite, is one of the victims of body shaming.
In response to the body shaming and bullying, Chapel claims she coughed up more than £5 000 as she trimmed her body.
International celebrities such as the Kardashian sisters, Kim and Khloe, have reportedly spent millions of dollars as they altered their bodies.
But Docusi Mabanja, a short and stout farmer from Chief Mutambara village in Chimanimani, is one of the people who are proud of their physical appearances.
She views her body as a source of inspiration.
Because of her appearance, Mabanja was given the nickname “Jojo”, derived from a water tank with the same name.
A plant breeder, Mabanja has created a brand, Jojo Seeds, out of her nickname.
Breeding millet, sorghum, nuts and other seeds, her brand is well-known in Chimanimani, Chipinge and Masvingo.
Mabanja chronicled to The Sunday Mail Society how she used her physical appearance to her advantage.
“Growing up with this type of body was not easy. People would mock me and call me all sorts of names,” she narrated.
She said at one time, her husband nearly left her because of her stature.
Mabanja was also ridiculed and sidelined during social events.
“When I shared a table with people at an event, they would use me as a bargaining tool in order for them to get more food, insinuating that I eat too much.
“Commuter omnibus crews often poked fun at me and they forced me to pay bus fare for two people. As if that was not enough, I would be the topic of discussion the whole journey,” she said.
When she started her business, she decided to use her nickname as the company name.
“Many people know me as Jojo and from a marketing point of view, using my nickname as the company name proved to be a masterstroke,” the 47-year-old businesswoman said.
South Africa-based socialite Charlene Chirimo (38), who is popularly known as “Yokozuna weZimbabwe” on various social media platforms, is also taking
advantage of her physical appearance to create a brand for herself.
Born and bred in Old Tafara, Harare, she was often ridiculed because of her big body.
After moving to South Africa, where she works as a househelp, Yokozuna now boasts a social media platform account that encourages and inspires victims of body shaming.
Her Facebook page has grown to over 45 000 followers.
She is now a life coach who inspires other people.
For Chirimo, being proud of one’s physical attributes can be rewarding.
“Some of my fans occasionally send me gifts and money.
“I can now look after my mother and my two children in Rusape,” said the single mother of two.
Contrary to what many people might believe, she said, heavily built people can do all the things slim people are capable of.
“I can ride a bicycle, swim and play netball. I know people who are slim who cannot do this. I tried to diet and exercise but I realised that I can lead a better life by the way I am,” she said.
Comedienne Samantha Kureya, who is better known by her stage name Gonyeti, said for her, being heavily built is a blessing in disguise.
Unlike other people who yearn to be slim, Kureya is happy with her big body.
“I do not even want to wake up slim because my big body is now my brand and source of income.
“I gained a lot of fans because of this body, so if I become slim, I will have to rebrand.
“This might be a hard thing to do,”
Kureya said.
Gonyeti has 200 000 followers on her Facebook page, while the media house she belongs to has over 400 000 followers.
Cathy “Dhafu” Chapungu is also one of the people who are using their physical attributes to earn a living.
In recent years, body shaming has often become a topical issue in Zimbabwe.
This arose after some women were harassed, mostly by touts, as they went about their businesses in different parts of the country.
Some of the victims, mostly women, are often caressed and physically abused in public.
Springs of Life Zimbabwe programme director Precious Msindo, called upon communities to desist from body shaming. The organisation represents the interests of women and the girl child.
“God created women in all shapes and sizes. Communities must desist from body shaming,” said Msindo.
“I encourage those who are subjected to body shaming to turn a deaf ear to negative comments and concentrate on positive things.”
Dr John Garireza, a psychologist, reckons victims might end up lacking self-esteem, which he notes is key to personal development.
“The things that we may feel ashamed of are things that hold us back and prevent us from living our lives to the fullest and achieving our full potential.
“Lack of self-esteem triggers depression, leading to mental disorders,” he said.