I don't know if you have heard of it, but I am the plus size blogger behind We Are The They. The idea behind it is to put a face to the 'they' people talk about so often when they discuss bodies and health. It is so easy to make throw away comments such as 'but they are so unhealthy' or 'they need to eat a sandwich' when it comes to talking about very large or very thin bodies. However, as much as it is easy to say these - would you say them to a loved one?
Over recent months, I have noticed the likes of Facebook showing me much more on my newsfeed. Now I can see photos that friends have commented on and comments that have been left on pages - even if I am not linked to that page at all. The nosey person in me loves it, the fat girl not so much.
It is no secret amongst anyone that knows me I am a happy fatty. I talk a lot about body positivity and loving your body to anyone who will listen - and I assumed my friends were listening. However, every now and then I see them commenting on a photo of a fat person making assumptions about their health.
Now I understand that plus size models like Tess Munster are controversial - they're new and they're not something that we're used to seeing. The very fact that Tess signing to a modelling agency made headlines over the world is testament to this. So I understand that when images of hers get shared, people are going to have something to say!
What I don't understand is people taking time out of their day to complain about Tess 'glorifying obesity' or that her health is 'terrible'. Even if Tess IS unhealthy (I don't know her, I can't comment on her health) does that mean that she should be less employable as a model? When did we start judging people's right to employment based on the level of their health?
I think what many people do not realise when they write derogatory comments on photos of Rebel Wilson or Tess Munster (for example) is that they are also commenting on people like me. If you hate the sight of one photo of Tess appearing on your timeline, how does my social media account make you feel?
And that is why I started We Are The They (which you can find on Twitter #WeAreTheThey). Because this hating of anonymous figures is doing no one any good. 'They' might be fat (or thin) but the chances are that you have someone in your life who isn't that far off of them too! 'They' might be unhealthy - but how can you tell just by looking at them? When you refer to fat or thin people in derogatory terms you are actually putting down mums, daughters, sisters, aunts, cousins, friends REAL PEOPLE! and that is why, for me, We Are The They is so important! Stop worrying about other people and their supposed heath diagnosed through a photo and deal with your own life!