By: Cedric Wu
Remi Bader, a prominent Tik Tok Star, was recently mocked for her size by certain employees at Hollow Ranch, a horse ranch where she was denied access for her weight. Such an experience can have serious effects on a person’s mental health.
Bader said that she was “laughed at” by the workers. One employee even made a video about the incident with a caption stating “when you’re not a fat b----, you can ride at Deep Hollow Ranch.” Even though the employee’s actions were completely unnecessary and shameless, this situation still has darker implications.
Bader states that she understood the guidelines but she did not understand the employee’s unnecessary handling of the situation. Bader states that she shared the situation due to “the way I was spoken [to] and laughed at … and the way I was treated overall.” This, along with the mental tolls and effects caused her to share her experience.
People that already know they have weight problems do not want it to be mentioned. Fat shaming such as what happened in Remi’s case can lead to low self-esteem and take a serious toll on a person’s mental health.
According to an article written in the THINK newsletter, Dr. Hasan Merali, a public health specialist states “When fat-shaming turns into weight-based discrimination, it’s associated with low self-esteem, anxiety, depression and eating disorders.”
The guidelines at the ranch are far from unreasonable though. Horses cannot take more than 20% of their weight according to a veterinary study from Ohio State University’s Agricultural Technical Institute. But Bader notes that she has ridden horses before and would never intend to hurt them.
An experience like Bader’s happening to someone else can also deter someone from more physical activity due to a lack of self-confidence. Drawing attention to a person’s weight issues can undoubtedly cause them to isolate themselves from others.
The issue of fat-shaming is a prominent one. It could make a person stray away from activities they love. The issue of obesity cannot be approached by negativity.
Link to article: https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/tik-tok-influencer-remi-bader-horse-ranch-incident-weight-even-darker-rcna33991