Body Shaming At Work: How Lankan Girls Deal

Sometimes irrespective of the type of career you are in, you can get shamed for how you look. This can be jarring and reallyshouldnt be tolerated. Chances are, you probably have difficulty dealing with it all. So how do you work through it all? With the help of those whove gone through similar instances, let's take a look at how we can overcome body shaming at work.

- Yasodhara Kariyawasam

It's Not About You "I have a darker complexion than most Sri Lankans and at work one middle-aged guy at office asked me what I was going to do about my upcoming wedding, because according to him a bride shouldn't have dark skin! I replied with ‘That's a very narrow way of looking at things. You need to change that attitude' and walked away,” said Amaya, 27.

It's important to understand that when someone insults you, it's probably riffing off of pre-existing prejudices and misconceptions. Try not to take it personally thinking about how this portrays the insulter as a person, and just letting it go will help you more than you think. Of course it's difficult to be that calm about it, but you can always try!

Start by Defending Others

"My colleague was always insulted for being short. It went from being funny to cruel. I had to stand up for her. I simply told them they're starting to develop ugly personalities and they stopped, shared Ranuki, 31.

Whether it is you or your colleague who's in the spotlight, it can feel daunting to stand up on your own. But, doing so can make the world of difference when you know someone’s got your back. There were probably times you wished that someone took your side. So, if you can stand up for someone being bullied, do so!

But, It's Okay to Choose Your Battles

"There was this one time I didn't say anything to my colleague who commented on my skin condition called strawberry legs and makes my legs look scaly and full of brown spots. I just wasn't in the mood!" explained Keshi, 26.

It's okay to stay silent and let it be, because some people are not worth the effort. You may also just be exhausted hearing it so many times, or you don't want to make a fuss about it. All these are fine, as long as you don't let the negative comments affect you.