Let’s be honest. We have all been conscious about our bodies at some point in our lives, whether it’s how we think we look or how others perceive us. It gets worse when we have people around that make backhanded comments disguised as ‘jokes’ or advice.
But how do you react when it comes from someone who constantly talks about self-acceptance and body positivity?
This is exactly what happened to a woman who found herself confused after a coworker — known for their social media posts about body positivity — constantly criticized her for being “too skinny.”
Over time, the repeated remarks began to take a toll on the woman and she called out her colleague for her “hypocrisy.”
What followed was a tense workplace confrontation, which made the woman turn to Reddit to understand if she had overreacted.
Woman faces harsh comments from a coworker who preaches body positivity
Woman looking in a mirror, reflecting on body image and reacting to coworker skinny-shaming and body positivity conflict.
Negative comments about weight or body shape can affect mental health
Studies show that even those considered underweight can face stigma and are victims of its harmful effects on health. Body shaming does not just hurt feelings, it can also lead to eating disorders, emotional stress, as well as depression and anxiety.
It can also make it harder to focus at work or at school, and impact your relationships with friends, coworkers, and family.
Worrying about being judged about your body type might even make you avoid social activities or keep to yourself.
Unsolicited opinions on appearance can hurt anyone
Young woman looking upset and frustrated in a bathroom mirror, reflecting feelings of being skinny-shamed and body positivity conflict.
Body shaming isn’t limited to certain body types — it can happen to anyone.
It wasn’t long ago that actor and singer Ariana Grande took to social media to shut down critics shaming her for being “too thin.” The comments surfaced after her weight loss for the movie Wicked.
And this wasn’t even the first time. In 2024, she posted a TikTok for those worried about her appearance, reminding everyone that body-shaming — no matter the size — is never okay.
“I think we should be gentler and less comfortable commenting on people’s bodies, no matter,” she said. “If you think you’re saying something good or well intentioned, whatever it is… We just shouldn’t. We should really work towards not doing that as much.”
Grande also said whether the criticism targets a celebrity or not, it’s “something that is uncomfortable no matter what scale you’re experiencing it on.”
A workplace can feel unsafe when personal boundaries are crossed
Unsolicited opinions that make someone uncomfortable, put them down, or reinforce stereotypes are considered inappropriate — even if the speaker didn’t mean harm. They hurt trust, lower morale, and make teamwork harder.
In a recent survey of US employees, 91% said that rude behavior in the workplace has a negative impact on a company’s overall performance, while 81% said they find it difficult to concentrate after someone has done or said something rude.
A high percentage of employees said they have thought about quitting a job due to a rude coworker or boss.
The survey also found that bad behavior is often brushed aside at work. At least 57% employees said the company usually ignored rude behavior by star employees as long as they performed well at work.
“A culture that ignores rude interactions will eventually pay the price with a damaged reputation and departing employees,” said Tamara Rodman, a senior client partner in Korn Ferry’s Culture, Change and Communication practice, during the survey.
Many agreed she had every right to push back after constant criticism
Text post on social media about a woman fed up with a coworker preaching body positivity while skinny-shaming.
Screenshot of a Reddit comment where a user discusses being fed up with a coworker preaching body positivity while skinny-shaming.
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Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing frustration with a coworker skinny-shaming while preaching body positivity.
Screenshot of an online comment discussing being fed up with a coworker skinny-shaming while preaching body positivity.
Alt text: Online comment discussing frustration with skinny-shaming and body positivity debates among coworkers and family.
Text post discussing a woman fed up with coworker preaching body positivity and skinny-shaming, expressing frustration.
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Screenshot of a user comment discussing body positivity and skinny-shaming in a coworker conflict thread.
Text post from an anonymous user debating body positivity and calling out skinny-shaming in a heated online discussion.
Comment expressing frustration with skinny-shaming and supporting body positivity in a heated online discussion.
Screenshot of an online discussion about body positivity and skinny-shaming, highlighting a user’s strong opinion and frustration.
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Screenshot of an online comment reacting strongly to a woman fed up with coworker preaching body positivity and skinny-shaming.
Some argued she should have set boundaries earlier instead of snapping
Text from an online forum where a woman expresses frustration with a coworker preaching body positivity while skinny-shaming.
Comment discussing a woman fed up with coworker preaching body positivity while skinny-shaming, expressing frustration online.
Comment discussing body positivity and a coworker skinny-shaming in an online forum conversation.
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Screenshot of a forum comment where a user advises stopping negative body comments amid a body positivity debate.
Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing body positivity and skinny-shaming in a workplace conversation.
Comment from user ImReallyNotNice supporting woman fed up with coworker preaching body positivity while skinny-shaming.
Screenshot of an online comment thread where a user responds to a body positivity and skinny-shaming discussion.
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Comment explaining frustration with coworker preaching body positivity while skinny-shaming, highlighting the tension and advice given.
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Screenshot of an online comment discussing frustration over hypocrisy in body positivity and skinny-shaming debates.
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Screenshot of an online forum comment expressing frustration over coworker skinny-shaming despite body positivity preaching.
Screenshot of an online comment criticizing a coworker’s take on body positivity and skinny-shaming.
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