“Ugh, look at my body! It’s just so… skinny!” Typical? Not so much. Now, it seems as if anorexia, obesity, and weight loss are plastered to every magazine, billboard, and commercial possible. This is understandable because when walking down a busy street, many people are spotted wearing plus sized clothing. If you look even closer though, you may notice the random girl invisible in the crowd. Does she have an eating disorder? Nope, she’s just me.

People assure me I’m lucky to have the “perfect body” and some have even confessed they envy me. On the other hand, I envy them. It’s frustrating when the cute size 00 jeans are too big for me and when people accuse me of being anorexic. The truth is, I and other individuals are naturally this way because of family genetics. Next time you see a girl walking along the street do not judge her and write her off as a binging junkie or an abnormal freak. She has feelings too and may wish more people could understand her situation. It does not seem fair that people find calling an overweight person “fat” offensive but teasing underweight people is okay. These insults and comments run deep for us too. Some may be shocked to realize girls just like me search for ways to gain weight, and fail. I have tried high-calorie protein bars and eating larger amounts of food. This is more difficult than people may think.
When I get my monthly edition of Seventeen magazine, I eagerly open it only to find tips for losing weight and how to feel confident about your “curvy” body. What about the opposite problem? Sadly, these girls, and boys too, are not readily recognized in our society and feel discriminated against. In fact, they may be just a few skeleton voices lost in a sea of dieting ads. Jared Fogle, the campaigner for Subway, able to stand up and talk about his battle with weight loss. Who’s the advocate for the teens struggling to go up a jean size? I want all the people who feel alone in their battle with weight gain to know there are a few people who understand. No matter what society says, we are still “real” people who need encouragement and understanding… and a few extra pounds.