Former cast member of Home and Away Tammin Sursok has posted a poignant letter on Instagram regarding the impact that body-shaming during the 1990s and 2000s had on young women.
Tammin’s Instagram Reel then used previous pictures of herself to show a series of scenarios from pop culture and interviews from the 2000s, including episodes of Keeping Up With The Kardashians when women were made fun of by males for their size and appearance.
The video features some horrible deeds from guys demeaning women when it comes to their weight. From Scott Disick making a joke about Kourtney’s weight gain to a teenage Britney Spears being questioned about her breasts to Victoria Beckham being ordered to stand on scales.
“Why did you hate your body and feel so judged growing up?” is how Tammin captioned the video, and she goes into further detail in the comments section.
She remarked, “We have grown up believing that this is okay.”
“It makes sense that a large number of us detested our appearance or tried to adopt a look that society considered acceptable. I hope and pray that things will change for our family and our kids. Nobody has the right to make remarks about your weight or appearance. Exactly.”
There was an overwhelming show of support and unity in response to her message.
One individual remarked, “The Britney interview is so creepy and disturbing.”
I cried over this, damn it. This will hurt forever. Another person said, “Sucks, I can’t get over this thinking either.
“It’s absurd how much as children we were taught that we had to be thin. It makes sense that we have a poor perception of our bodies,” someone remarked.
One participant said, “It’s scary how all the guys are saying this stuff.”
“The ‘over large’ models on America’s Next Top Model will always stick in my memory. Nicole Richie’s status as the “fat one” on The Simple Life is just one of many other things. Another person bemoaned, “I thought I was huge back then. Looking back, I can’t believe how skinny they and I were.”
“Afraid for our children”
Many parents also flocked to the comments, expressing their hope that their children wouldn’t experience the same pressures as they had.
Whoa! Yes, it’s shocking! Though I believe that things have changed, they are still the same in some aspects! I genuinely worry about our children,” a person remarked.
“Looking back, it’s really repulsive, but it was the reality of the world we were raised in. The insanity of adult men making comments about the body of underage girls is unbearable, yet it was broadcast on radio and television without any problems. Another mother said, “I hope my one-year-old daughter grows up in a different world, but I see good changes.”
