This story includes discussions about food and weight. If you or a loved one are struggling with disordered eating, contact the National Eating Disorders Association Helpline.
Being a teenage girl in America is a special kind of hell. The bodies of girls are subject to so much intense scrutiny and social policing, that literally millions end up with eating disorders and body dysmorphia. While size representation and inclusivity have improved over the last several years, our culture is still thin-obsessed — and young women who don’t fit into traditional beauty standards of weight and size are still subjected to body-shaming by peers and even some adults. Social media is notorious for being a safe space for fatphobia, but some teens and young adults are fighting back against body shaming one TikTok at a time.
