Some people can't understand the plight of a skinny kid. They think just because we're not fat, that we don't have hardships too, but we do! Here's 3 reasons why it sucks being skinny as a kid:
1. We're looked at as pushovers. Because of our stature, people are more inclined to start fights with us. Thinner guys can be seen as easy prey on any field that involves competition; whether it be the schoolyard bully with displaced anger, or the big guard on the basketball court that decides to post you up every time he gets the ball: "Mouse in the house!" It can be annoying, repetitive, predictable, and downright scary at times. When it comes to down to a battle of strength, we're always outmatched.
2. We get jokes thrown our way constantly just like fat people. When I was 13, for a short stint, the counselors at my summer camp called me Q-Tip. I figured they thought I looked like the rapper. I didn't rap but we were the same complexion....and that's where the similarities stopped. At that age, I was probably around 5'8, 105 pounds, and sporting a big afro. I think you can imagine how the name came about. Here's a couple more for you: Chicken Legs, Bean Pole, Anorexic, String Bean, etc. The list goes on and on, and kids can be very creative during a roasting session. You learn to deflect the names and jokes by dissing them back but each comment solidifies the shame you feel. I remember not going to a beach or a pool between the ages of 13 or 14 to 23. The body shame was probably gone by the age of 21 (because I finally started gaining weight) but for years I didn't take my shirt off in public.
3. Girls don't find us attractive. Reasons 1 and 2 probably wouldn't make a difference if it wasn't for reason 3. Imagine a pencil thin 13 or 14 year old who always wears an extra undershirt (even in the summer) to mask his meager chest, and wears all of this clothes extra baggy to deflect from his small frame. Add acne and braces on top of that, and you got the poster child for the friend zone.
With all that being said, let's make something clear. I was still a cool kid with a lot of friends who was slick and likable enough to not run into many real issues with other kids. As an adult, my weight has been up and down due to detoxes, cleanses, eating healthier, and fasting, but it doesn't bother me like it did when I was kid because I was able to finally put on some weight in my early twenties. This is not a sympathy post. I just want to give another perspective.
I can go on and on about this, but I wanna hear from you guys. Can you relate?