Editorial
Let’s stand against body-shaming
Dear Editor,
Body-shaming is a phenomenon of criticising yourself or others because of some aspect of physical appearance.
Criticising another’s appearance in front of them, (i.e.: “With those thighs, you’re never going to find a date.”) Criticising another’s appearance without their knowledge. (i.e.:“Did you see what she’s wearing today? Not flattering.” “At least you don’t look like her!”)
Females are not the only ones who are body-shamed but males also, and it’s clear that ladies are the ones who are mostly criticized on their body sizes.
Body-shaming is not only talking bad about the physical appearance of both genders but also when someone receives insults such as “your head like car tyre” “your big eyes like eggs” “ your tiny legs like chopsticks” and a whole lot, are also body shaming.
People used to appreciate other forms of body stature and shapes but the story has changed. In this article I point out the problems and its various shades.
Whether you call someone “too fat” or “too slim,” one thing is clear: nobody should feel ashamed of their weight, clothing size, body-shape or have low self esteem on their beauty or looks.
The media is one of the main cause of body shaming. The media sometimes offer tips about how to lose weight “in days,” appear slimmer “instantly,” and hide our “imperfections.
Walden Behavioral Care however provides some tips on how to curb body- shaming. In order to challenge body shaming one most do the following:
Practise identifying why you are upset about a situation. Think of people who celebrate their body for what it can do, and people who refuse to comment on others’ physical appearances.
Spending time with these people can be especially helpful while you are struggling with your own internalised body-shaming, and help you view yourself – and others – more positively.
Find something (or things) you LIKE about your body. We spend so much time on advertisements about how to make our eyelashes millimetres longer and how to get whiter teeth that it’d be nice to counter some of that by celebrating what we.
Edward Nartey,
Student, Ghana Institute of Journalism
Dear Editor,
I WRITE to condemn the circumstances under which an accident victim died recently after three major hospitals reportedly turned him away due to what has earned a place in our local parlance as ‘no bed syndrome.’
Reports suggested that this motor rider who got knocked by a vehicle was taken to three major hospitals – Police Hospital, Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge Hospital), and the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital – but they all claimed they had no beds.
But one may ask, would there ever be beds?
Such is the treatment Ghanaians endure every now and then when one visits our hospitals, especially the public ones which are run with the taxpayers’ money. Many a time when one visits the hospitals, the sight of patients admitted and lying on benches, and some sitting on chairs while receiving care, is visible to all; making one wonder why this particular motor rider was not admitted at any of the facilities, looking at his condition.
This leads to the reason for this letter, which is to bring out a perceived apathy against these motor riders, the majority of whom are referred to as ‘Okada’ riders.
Due to their recklessness on the roads and the inconvenience caused to commuters, people always speak ill about them; drivers equally have no regard for them. Every user of public transport would attest to this. These riders are blamed for every offence, even when it is obvious drivers may be at fault sometimes.
Motor riders have become like orphans on the road; people care less about them, and when they are unfortunately knocked down, no one cares about them.
This is the mischief our authorities and agencies, including the police, must seek to cure to make the road safe for all users.
These are young folks that want to make a living for themselves, and with no skill or education, ‘Okada’ rides have become their source of livelihood. They need the protection accorded drivers and commuters as well.
In other countries, some facilities have been provided to make their work safer, but in Ghana, we lack them, leaving them with no alternative than to share the available space with the cars.
What has happened should serve as a wake-up call on our authorities to aim to take a second look at the ‘Okada’ menace. With the numbers increasing, there should be a way to regulate them because no government would have the guts to ban it totally.
Drivers should be made to accept the reality that they are sharing the roads with them, and therefore the need for patience and tolerance.
For some of our hospitals, I suggest the Ministry of Health conduct their own investigations to see what patients go through in accessing medicare, which is even not for free.
Thank you, Editor, for the space.
F. Morgan, Kokrobite
Dear Editor,
THE heartbreaking death of 29-year-old engineer Charles Amissah in a hit-and-run accident has exposed once again the failures in our health system.
Even more painful is the fact that his father had previously donated beds to some hospitals, yet when his son needed urgent care, he was moved from one facility to another because there were ‘no beds.’
This is not only tragic but unacceptable. How can a country lose its bright young citizens simply because hospitals cannot provide emergency treatment? The ‘no bed syndrome’ has become a national disgrace, and Charles’ death is a reminder that reforms cannot wait.
Our hospitals must be equipped to handle emergencies, and accountability must be enforced. If donations are made to improve facilities, then those facilities must serve the people when it matters most. Ghana cannot afford to keep losing lives to negligence and poor infrastructure.
Charles Amissah’s death should be the turning point. Let us honor his memory by fixing the system so that no family would suffer this kind of preventable loss again.
Princess Wonovi
Accra
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