Chatting with my pals, we cover a wide array of topics...but always skirt around the subject of our physical bodies.
In a world where body-shaming and dieting discussions often dominate conversations among women, a unique group of friends has stood out. This group, who have been friends for a decade and communicate via a video chat app called Marco Polo, have a distinctive characteristic - they do not engage in body-shaming or dieting discussions.
The author of this article, who met one of the members during the pandemic, found herself drawn to this charismatic friend. Being around her made the author feel like being friends with one of the popular kids. However, the friend's fixation on eating "healthy" and refusal to eat food with certain ingredients initially raised red flags for the author.
The author's friend, who is the roommate's girlfriend, has a history of keeping a tally of the food she ate every day and berating herself if she consumed more than she thought was "too much." This was a stark contrast to the author's own experiences, where she had a similar history of body image issues.
However, an "aha" moment came when the author realised the influence of friends on body image. She had a history of engaging in body-shaming and dieting discussions as a way to make friends with other women. But this friend group was different. They talked about a wide range of topics, from new vibrator purchases and postpartum depression to skincare recommendations, deaths in the family, tips on making curry, and other personal matters.
On the day this article was written, the group sent a total of 31 videos, many of them 5 or 6 minutes long. These videos were recorded from various locations such as beds, parks, cars, and baths, showcasing the group's close bond and the ease with which they communicate.
The author suggests that finding friends that make you feel whole and demanding it in the process of choosing your inner circle is crucial. This unique friendship group serves as a testament to the power of such a bond, proving that it is possible to maintain a strong, supportive friendship without engaging in harmful body-shaming or dieting discussions.
This friendship group, who have been friends for a decade, having met on a study abroad trip in college, offers a refreshing perspective on female bonding during the pandemic period. The unspoken friend the author meets during the pandemic, who spends the most time with her and is the one in their friend group most focused on body image, indicates a heightened concern or preoccupation with physical appearance within their social circle during the pandemic period. This suggests an implicit influence on the writer's experience of social norms and self-image shaped by pandemic-related social dynamics.
In conclusion, this unique friendship group provides a beacon of hope for those seeking a supportive and non-judgmental friendship circle. Their bond, built on mutual respect and understanding, serves as a reminder that it is possible to maintain strong friendships without engaging in harmful body-shaming or dieting discussions.
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