'You Did Not Eat That' Isn't Funny - It's Skinny-Shaming

'You Did Not Eat That' Isn't Funny - It's Skinny-Shaming

You Did Not Eat That - the Instagram account which aims to "speak the truth in this mixed up world of too many macarons and ice cream cones. Because really... #youdidnoteatthat" - made the news this week and was dubbed "hilarious" and "mad genius" by a host of women's websites.

But I'm calling bullshit on this skinny-shaming tripe because it's not funny, it's not okay and I'm sick to death of women being called out for what they have or have not eaten.

The anonymous woman behind the account - which has garnered 66,622 (and counting) followers since its birth in mid April - crawls Instagram for pictures posted by fashion-y types with highly calorific food.

She then regrams the images with captions like, "Nothing says 'box of cookies' like a six-inch thigh gap."

I believed the YDNET creator when she told The Cutit's just a bit of "fun" and "done in good spirit". However, saying "it's not meant to be mean and hurtful" does not mean it isn't.

While she who must not be named is adamant she's "not making some huge social commentary about what size somebody is and what they're eating", her Instagram account is right at the heart of the skinny-shaming discourse.

"If you're a size zero, and you're frolicking in a tiny bikini on the beach, you probably did not eat the doughnuts that you posed with the sunglasses," she said.

"The lap shots are pretty bad - like a pink frosted doughnut in front of an eight-inch thigh gap is really, really hard to stomach."

Would YDNET would be less judgmental if said Instagrammer had a bit more junk in the trunk? I get it now - if you look like you eat cake, it's fine to #foodporn away without fear of being labelled a liar.

Understandably many of those branded with the hashtag "you did not eat that" have responded defended themselves, with one Instagrammer writing: "Yeah I actually ate all of that and I run my arse off so I can". Others have posted videos of themselves scoffing cupcakes.

I'm so bored of skinny-shaming. So what if they didn't eat that pink doughnut or slice of pizza?

If I come across an Instagram picture of some beautifully arranged flowers adjacent to a box of Laduree chocolates, I'm not going to assess the likelihood of those chocolates being consumed by the photographer before "liking" it.

However, it seems I'm in the minority as according to most YDNET has got its finger on the pulse of a widespread frustration about "skinny" women's eating habits.

This account doesn't make light of the silly billy world of fashion where people take pictures of food they don't eat to gain as many Instagram likes as possible, it's just a place for women to critique other women's bodies without feeling like total bitches.

Would it be funny if the account was criticising overweight women's eating habits? I'm guessing no. Being skinny doesn't make you fair game and recognition of that is long overdue.

MORE!

Close

What's Hot