My Spin on "Too Fat to be Photographed"

Reference Link : "So you’re feeling too fat to be photographed . . ." by Teresa S. Porter. 

A couple of years ago, a friend of mine shared a link to a blog post called "So you're feeling too fat to be photographed" and the title piqued my interest enough to go and read it.  I was fascinated by the simple yet profound logic that she wrote about, and it changed my answer to whether or not I was too fat to be photographed from a Yes to a resounding No!!

So let me back track to the days before that blog post knocked me in the head. I was very active on Facebook (like many of us) and I would update my profile pictures, but they would just be my face and taken from slightly above to hide the extra chins I have. When you're fat, or in many cases when you think you're fat, you learn little tricks for being in a picture. Of course the most popular choice is to not be in the picture at all, but if you can't talk your way out of it, then usually you opt to be behind everyone hiding as much of your body as possible. Maybe you're the type who likes to be on the end, and angle yourself sideways a little. No matter... the point is... you know the tricks and you've tried them all.

I forbid everyone.... EVERYONE from posting any pictures of me on Facebook, and God forbid if they tagged me. One time, one of my cousins posted a picture of me and tagged me. The second I saw the picture, I deleted the tag, and for some reason it stayed on my page. I was in a panic! I'm not kidding. I deleted my cousin as a friend in hopes it would make it go away and then I deleted some more friends who I hoped never saw it. I was THAT insane about my picture being public. I did re-friend everyone after I fixed the situation. I hope this gives you some idea of how desperately I did not want to be seen in pictures on social media.

All of my picture albums on Facebook were of my friends and family, my dog, places I've been, events I attended but none of me with those people or at those places. I did have those pictures, but not for public viewing.  The blog post made me realize how incredibly stupid I was being!!!

Everything changed because of that blog post. I realized that my friends and family don't care what I look like... they don't look at my pictures and say things like "Oh my God how could you share that you look so fat!" why would they? I mean, if they did.... are they my friend anyway?  The only opinions in life that matter to me are those of the people I am emotionally invested in.

It's so very freeing to let go of that fear of being seen as you are. Now I post lots of pictures of me and my friends and family together. Cuz these are the people I love. These are the best times of my life and by not being in the pictures I take that away from myself. 

Don't get me wrong... I'll still try and get photographed at the right angles and I'll try and get behind people to hide my body still, but I am in the pictures. I'm there... 

Now because of my newfound freedom, I get so frustrated with my friends who need to see any pictures I post, or asking me to crop this and that before I do. I wish everyone could embrace the idea that the people who love you and know you... aren't judging you. 

So post! Let your friends and family see your smiling face.

Jaided