Phumzile Van Damme on fat-shaming: The size of people’s bodies is none of your business

DA MP Phumzile Van Damme has again lambasted those who fat-shame on social media, telling her followers that no-one has the right to police another person's body.

Van Damme was left fuming on Wednesday when a Twitter user slid on her TL commenting on her weight.

“I eat people who ask me about my weight - that’s why I’m so fat,” she hit back, adding: “I’m sorry that you are struggling, Bhuti, but you don’t know what struggles I may be going through, you just assume gluttony.”

The encounter sparked a debate on fat-shaming and led to a series of tweets on the topic by Van Damme.

Drawing in personal experience, Van Damme said that her battle with a neurological condition, functional neurological disorder (FND), had left her in pain and unable to walk or exercise.

"I’ve been sick most of this year, a group of chronic illness, which have also upped my stress and anxiety levels, basically breaking my body. I have already spoken about FND, a rare illness with no cure but can go into remission. Its effects has created others [sic].

“I spend most of my days in bed because I am in pain. Because it is a central nervous 'software,' issue, I struggle to walk, and a variety of other musculoskeletal issues. Because I can’t walk or exercise, my weight has shot up.

“My weight gain has of course bothered me greatly but the group of doctors treating me tell me to chill and not worry too much about it for now and focus on my treatment. I sometimes hate what I see in the mirror but my husband reminds me that I am beautiful regardless of my size,” she revealed.

She then advised her followers to “not give people unsolicited advice about their bodies, unless asked”.

“I know you mean well, but no. All you do is contribute to further stress and makes assumptions that your method of weight loss hasn’t been tried and failed. The point is this: you don’t know what a person you consider 'fat' may be going through. Even if not physiological, it can be psychological as a result of mental health struggles.

“Be kind. And also, mostly, the size of people’s bodies is none of your business.”

She also encouraged those struggling with their weight to keep reaching for their goal, “trust in the process and know you’ll get there”. 

Van Damme defended EFF deputy leader Floyd Shivambu in October after he was body-shamed on social media.

Reflecting on comments she had seen, Van Damme said it was possible to critique Shivambu without mentioning his weight.

“It’s called human decency. You don’t have to like him, I don’t. But there’s no need, ever, to body-shame anyone. There could be many reasons why his body is the way it is and quite frankly, [it's] none of your business.”