Last night, former Real Housewives of New York star Bethenny Frankel decided to ask her social media followers a simple question:
“What new workout can I try today?”
Of all the things famous people post on social media, it seemed innocuous enough — but Frankel was quickly flooded with nasty, body-shaming comments.
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Why? Because the question was accompanied by a photo of her thin body:
Although some followers offered genuine workout suggestions, many more decided it was their place to tell Frankel she shouldn't exercise because of her thin frame.
Some commenters veiled this advice with 'concern' for her health, writing things like, "Too thin ... Workout with some weights now, build some muscle tone," "You're so tiny! No workouts for you," and the rather emphatic, "None, sit down and rest, save your strength please!!!!" A select few took this one step further, helpfully informing the 44-year-old she was "clearly" anorexic.
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Meanwhile, others were all snark; their 'hilarious' suggestions included "Workout your jaw and eat something", "Try a workout that gives you some hips" and "Try the 'let's eat a sandwich' workout". Oh Internet, you so wry.
Clearly, Bethenny Frankel has a slim body, as some women naturally do. So why should that automatically discount her from exercising it? One look at her Instagram feed indicates she lives an active lifestyle which includes a variety of physical activities like stand-up paddle-boarding, yoga, skiing and swimming. (Post continues after gallery.)
Bethenny Frankel on Instagram.
The thing is, the comments Frankel has received aren't just shaming — they're also largely inaccurate. People exercise for multiple reasons and they're not strictly limited to their size. Personal trainer Guy Leech says of the 20-30 clients he sees during his training sessions, very few of them are aiming to lose weight.
"They're there because exercise keeps them healthy and makes them feel good, it gives them stress relief, it gives them more energy during the day and makes them sleep better at night, they like the social aspect. There are so many benefits people get from training that's not just about weight loss or weight management," he says.
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Unfortunately for Frankel, the focus on her size isn't overly surprising. The mum of one has spoken about her troubled relationship with food and her weight in the past.
In 2011 she reportedly told Us Weekly magazine she had engaged in damaging behaviours like bingeing and fasting, saying, “I used to go out and drink and go to the deli downstairs. The next day, I would vow not to eat because last night I wasn’t good. Food was my best friend or enemy."
However, the SkinnyGirl Cocktails founder explained she overcame this in 2006 by eating smaller portions and exercising.
The state of Frankel's health — or anybody's, for that matter — isn't something that can be gleaned from a photo. None of us know what she eats or how often she exercises.
It's not for any of us to stand back and declare that her body is too compromised or frail to be physically active; this kind of advice should be left to Frankel's doctor. You know, someone with an actual medical qualification that allows them to determine whether exercise poses a health risk.
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Also? A person's body or weight is noone else's business, regardless of how famous that body happens to be.
“Commenting on anybody’s weight, whether it’s because they are ‘too skinny’ or ‘too fat’ is very unhelpful ... [and] will only keep us placing undue importance on our own weight,” explains clinical psychologist Dr Olivia Patrick.
“This sort of body-policing only serves to reinforce the idea that a woman’s self-worth is directly related to her appearance.”
Whichever type of exercise Frankel decided to go for, we hope she enjoyed it — and that she paid absolutely no attention to the snark and insults plaguing her comments.
Have you ever been body-shamed?
