In 2012, I got very sick. The details donāt matter. What matters is: I lost a lot of weight. The body I was used to having changed drastically, by a lot of pounds.
I was sick. But the people around me started commenting on my new look with glee. Theyād say things like,Ā āYou look amazing. What are you doing?ā orĀ āHave you lost weight?ā with excitement in their tone instead of worry. I wanted to reply,Ā āThank you. I am very sick.ā And sometimes I did say that. People did not like when I said that.
Eventually I got better, but the weight stayed gone. I thought maybe this was just my new body. Maybe the illness had brought me to how I was supposed to look forever. Cool. Okay.
About six months ago, I started appearing on camera regularly for my job. I also started going in to an office every day where there was breakfast and lunch and snacks and more food than I could usually afford. I had a regular paycheck. I could buy three meals a day. This seemed like a very nice upgrade.
I get mean comments more than maybe anyone at my work. I am outspoken and opinionated. I get called aĀ ācuntā or aĀ āfeminaziā or aĀ ābitchā or a āslutā all the time. I am those things (well, feminIST) and I donāt consider them bad. I also get calledĀ āunfunny,ā but that never bothers me because I know thatās just untrue. I am very funny. Thatās a fact.
But in the last couple months, Iāve been getting something new: Strangers online commenting on my weight.
I have gained weight. I have a small stomach I did not have when I started this job. I am also on camera to an audience of millions almost every single day. That is my living. I can not say,Ā āHey, bosses. I am feeling fat today and donāt want to do my job. Is that cool?ā I also can not say,Ā āHey, can we use a different take of that last shot? My stomach is showing in a way I donāt likeā because well, what if that shot is the funniest take? Is it worth it to lose the best joke because someone might comment that I look pregnant? I donāt think it is. And so I let funny videos go up where I look less than perfect. Oh well.
The other thing is: Iām not overweight. BUT my stomach isnāt flat (yep, you got me!) and that seems to be what the commenters are noticing.
I texted this to my friend Liz on Saturday, prefacing the conversation withĀ āI know this is ridiculous. I know it is. Bear with me.ā I also wasnāt sure I even wanted to acknowledge any of it because well, if I let them know theyāre getting to me then donāt they win? Call me a cunt, call me a bitch, fine. But all of a sudden, commenters think Iāve gained weight and thatās what makes me sad? Surely Iām better than that.Ā
But does staying silent on how women are treated on YouTube help anyone? Say something and open the floodgates. Be silent and be further isolated. I felt ashamed to let anyone know that I was vulnerable. And isnāt that what they really want?
The thing for a friend to say here, according to movies and TV, isĀ āBabe! You are not gaining weight!ā but the truth is, I have. Maybe just a little, but enough for an audience to notice that a āskinnyā girl has a pooch stomach. Sound the alarm. Ā
What about living in the āpublic eyeā means that if you donāt have abs, your body is up for debate by strangers? What about women on YouTube who are just trying to make comedy or music or make-up vlogs or whatever their thing is and they also deal with commenters who only want to discuss their bodies? What about them? What about the women on YouTube who are technically overweight and the abuse they deal with for daring to exist? What about all of us who have bodies that are notĀ āup to parā whatever the fuckĀ āparā is?
Iām not supposed to care. I am Gaby. I am a personified middle finger. I say FUCK YOU to beauty standards and to body image bullshit and Iām a feminist and I dress weird and I shave my head and I have imperfect skin that I donāt always cover up in videos and yeah, Iāve put some weight back on since 2012 and yeah, Iām an on-camera personality.
I wish I had some great empowering conclusion to come to about this. But I donāt. I just want to be funny on YouTube.