I was called ‘anorexic’ when I was skinny – but I'm still being body-shamed after putting on weight

Jillian Lim has experienced a lifetime of body scrutiny, facing criticism for being too thin and now, after gaining weight, for being too heavy. She recounts a childhood where she was constantly told to "eat more" and "finish all your food," with family members offering her chips and doughnuts to help her gain weight.

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Ow, you're so pokey, you bag of bones.

As a child, her mother would exclaim, "Ow, you're so pokey, you bag of bones." In primary school, she was placed on a "milk program" for underweight children, which ironically made her too full to eat afterward. Despite efforts like taking appetite vitamins and undergoing medical tests, doctors simply advised her to "eat more." This led her to prioritize weight gain over nutrition, consuming large amounts of fast food during school holidays.

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Just eat more.

Entering secondary school, Lim became the target of male attention and teasing about her thinness. Comments like, "Jill, whatever you do, don't turn sideways or we won't be able to see you!" were common. With a BMI of 16.2 in Secondary Three, she was underweight and faced jokes about being flat-chested, while other girls developed curves. Despite being a sprinter, which improved her appetite, she continued to struggle with her weight and societal perceptions.

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Jill, whatever you do, don't turn sideways or we won't be able to see you!

By the end of secondary school, Lim finally reached 40kg, but the constant comments about being anorexic had taken a toll. In the mid-90s, the beauty standard favored extreme thinness, exemplified by celebrities like Calista Flockhart and Gwyneth Paltrow. Now, in her mid-30s, after finally gaining weight, she finds herself defending her body once again, facing a new wave of body-shaming.

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Eating again? Where is it all going?