The Weight of It All
I am a 90s baby, so I grew up with Monica obesity jokes and the rollover idea that Twiggy was an achievable body and the ultimate goal for every woman. I grew up with Dr. Oz and his diet of the week. I thought having any kind of belly meant you're fat. I always knew I was heavier than everyone else. I think the earliest memory I have regarding my weight was probably around 8, there's this photo of me with an older cousin standing next to the lake and my belly hung over my swimsuit. I knew I had a bigger belly, and that I shouldn't, but I think I knew knew when I was in sixth grade, walking to the playground after lunch with another girl who told me she sucked in her belly all the time so she would look skinnier. I remember thinking that seemed like a lot of work, and I tried it, and it was a lot of work. Middle school was traumatic for me, as I think it is for most people. You throw puberty into a container and you get a lot of rage. I developed Graves disease during middl...