Bride-to-be claps back at personal trainer who fat-shamed her
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A bride-to-be put a personal trainer in his place after he tried to fat-shame her for not accepting his help.
Shortly after her engagement, Cassie Young said she was approached by the trainer offering his services in preparation for her big day.
Young, 31, politely declined, but the personal trainer, whose identity she doesn’t reveal, did not let up.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“I know you want to look your best on your wedding day,” the man said. “If you don’t hire me, hire someone. Those pictures last centuries. Your children’s children’s children will still have those pictures.”
Young explained that she will already look her best because she’ll be “so happy” to marry the man she loves.
“I know it’s probably hard for you to understand this, but it’s taken me a long time to love my body,” Young said. “I’m constantly shamed or reminded that I’m heavy and I should be embarrassed — or people are embarrassed for me — or just straight up rude, calling me ‘disgusting.’ I’ve battled past all that and like myself and how I look.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Still, the personal trainer was undeterred.
“You can accept how you look but you can’t be happy with the way you look,” he said. “You can’t lie to yourself… I just wish the whole big body acceptance people would accept the fact that they are not happy with their bodies.”
Young, however, didn’t let his comments get her down. She shared the exchange on Facebook with a message about body positivity that has gone viral.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“Those pounds do not define you or your worth,” she said. “Don’t let people like this try to convince you otherwise, because they’ll try — but it’s because they don’t understand yet. They’re caught up in the game and can’t see it for what it is.”