Mother's response to woman who body-shamed her in supermarket goes viral

'People have got to start being nice. Having common sense. Being respectful'

Charli Stevens (Facebook)

Why some people think it’s OK to pass judgment on others’ clothing or bodies is a mystery to many of us, and yet the public body-shaming continues.

One mother has revealed how she was shamed for her clothing choice in the supermarket - but she had a wonderful response.

Charlie Stevens, from Ohio, wrote a Facebook post sharing her experience, and it’s now gone viral.

She explained how she had just nipped out to the supermarket to buy some gift tags when the incident happened.

“While there, I notice this woman, who was probably in her 50s, kept staring at me,” Stevens explained. “I hate when people stare but didn’t say or do anything.

“A couple minutes later, she came up to me and said: ‘I think your clothes are a little too small on you.’”

Stevens says she was caught completely off guard, baffled, and couldn’t believe what she’d just heard.

“Excuse me?” she asked. And the woman replied: “Well no offense but you’re just a bit big to wear those type of clothes.”

Stevens was lost for words. “Usually I’m so quick to lash out at rude people and I’m never shy when it comes down to speaking my mind,” she said. “But I froze. Froze and cried.”

And the woman continued: “I’m not trying to be mean but maybe just reconsider your outfit before leaving your house from now on.”

Too upset to finish her grocery-shopping, Stevens left the shop and sat in her car, crying.

“How are people so rude?” she asks. “It’s no secret that I’ve gained weight throughout life. I’ve birthed two kids so it’s bound to happen.

“Do I realise I’m overweight? Yes. Do I want to be smaller? Yes. But am I okay with the way I look? Yes!! Why would a complete stranger go out of their way to insult someone?”

Stevens pointed out that for all the other woman knew, she could have been severely depressed or have been bullied about her weight her whole life.

She’s now calling for people to be kinder to each other.

“People have got to start being nice. Having common sense. Being respectful,” Stevens wrote.

She added that although she had her five-month-old son with her, she was glad her four-year-old wasn’t there too.

Stevens also revealed that she’s actually recently lost nearly 50 pounds. “My clothes were tighter than what I would normally wear but so what?! It shouldn’t matter what people wear.

“Please, PLEASE, have some respect for people.”