A woman who was randomly body-shamed by motorists has shared a “brave” video urging people to carefully consider their actions and the impact they have on others.
Shauna Arocho, 27, shared the video on Facebook in which she tearfully explained that a car full of men called her “fat” while she was sat eating an ice cream.
Arocho, from Springfield, Illinois, asked people to think carefully about what they say to others and the repercussions that may have. “You know nothing about my life or my circumstances, what if I’d have been in such a place that you saying that to me had made me go home and kill myself?” she said.
Since sharing the video, which has been viewed more than 10 million times, Arocho has received an influx of messages from complete strangers, many conveying kindness and support.
Arocho said she had been on the Paleo diet since June 2016 and had decided to treat herself because she’d managed to lose about 60lbs in that time - and roughly 120lbs throughout her entire weight loss journey.
When her local ice cream parlour announced they were giving away free ice cream on 20 March, Arocho and her husband headed down and ordered themselves a cone each.
But while she was sat outside eating her cone and enjoying the warm weather, something awful happened.
She recalled: “As I’m sitting out there enjoying my ice cream cone, a car full of men stopped in the middle of a busy road just so they could roll down their window and say, ‘eat that ice cream you fat b-i-t-c-h’.”
A tearful Arocho later posted a video asking people to be kinder to one another.
“I just don’t understand what people get out of tearing other people down,” she said, her voice cracking. “You know nothing about my life or my circumstances.
“What do you get from making me cry for the last 15-20 minutes?”
Throughout the two minute clip, which she filmed from her car a few minutes after the incident took place, her voice kept breaking up as she tried to hold back the tears.
“I think people really need to start thinking about what they’re saying and what they’re doing before they do it,” she said, before adding that she hopes that the men who body-shamed her end up seeing the video.
Arocho’s story resonated with many people and inspired thousands to send her messages of love and support.
“You are doing amazing, you are beautiful! Be proud of yourself!!” wrote Sanne Zonnenberg.
Meanwhile Celina Roque called her “an inspiration”.
Amanda Brewer added: “You wonderful, brave and amazing lady. Keep going and never allow the toxic people of the world to hurt you. You are lovely as you are. Good luck with your onward journey to where you want to be.”
Arocho concluded: “I am working every single day to better myself. I know that I am fat, I don’t need strangers yelling out their car window for me to see that.
“I’m not trying to get pity with this post, I am trying to get people to understand how detrimental bullying can be.”