Change Your Mindset: When Will Society Stop Shaming Women For Weight Gain?

Yeh Hai Mohabbatein actor Divyanka Tripathi was recently trolled on Instagram for weight gain. After trolls asked if she was pregnant or had become fat, Tripathi shared a reel in which she can be seen dancing, while the caption slammed people for their insensitivity.

Tripathi is a well-known face in Indian households due to her work on popular television soaps like Yeh Hai Mohabbatein. She has also appeared on reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi Season 11 and many others. As it is with women celebs, Tripathi had to face scrutiny on her body on social media. Now that she is married, people expect her to have children, thus, a little weight gain led to speculation that she was expecting. Sexist much?

Divyanka Tripathi Fat-Shamed, Slams Trolls

Retaliating to the trolls, Tripathi wrote in her post, "Don't ask me again if I'm pregnant or fat! My first instinct was that I should delete the video....but no...I won't! You who want people to look a certain way- change your mind set!" She further added, "Shame on the idiots who have no sensitivity and sensibility on Social media!"

Suggested Reading: Kareena Kapoor Quashes Pregnancy Rumours: Time We Stop Policing Women's Bodies

When will we accept that there is no such thing as the ideal female body image that women need to adhere to in order to be accepted or adored? It is not the first time that a woman actor has been trolled for gaining some weight. The worst part is, as soon as a married woman starts gaining weight, people start losing their minds wondering if she might be pregnant! The picture of a perfect woman has clouded the judgement of the society to the extent that it believes that women actors must remain flawless at 'all' times without realising that they as just as much human as the ordinary women. Their bodies cannot remain perfectly toned forever.

I don't have a flat stomach like ideal woman image portrayed. Deal with it: Divyanka Tripathi

Why is it so important for women to look a certain way? Why can't we let women do their own thing, let them be, and love their bodies as they are? Despite widespread conversations on body-positivity, we continue to put women to harsh standards of beauty. But since people have been told that it is wrong to call someone fat outright, they have found other, more subtle ways to perpetuate stereotypes. Ask a  woman if she is pregnant when she gains weight. Tell her that she needs to wear loose pants or dress in a way that "suits" her body type. Basically, we have repackaged our stereotypes to appear more acceptable.

But the truth is, society still feels entitled to police women's bodies. Shame and judgement are still used to break our spirits and damage our self confidence and self love. Like Tripathi though, women need to see through this ruse and call out body shaming outright. Embrace yourself and your body without any inhibition. That is the only way to deter trolls.

Views expressed by the author are their own.