Goedele Liekens is criticized for bathing suit photo: ‘You are very skinny’ Stars

entertainment">’Soms is happiness the only filter you need,” Goedele Liekens posted on her Instagram account on Tuesday. The hashtag #itwasafunweekend, her mischievous smile and fruity outfit indicate that she is having a good time on vacation. But that’s not counting a few bodyshamers. Reactions such as ‘so skinny!’, ‘you are radiant, but you are very skinny … eat a little, Goedele’ and ‘anorexia’ in between the many compliments.

entertainment">However, the sexologist-politician has had to endure a bit physically lately. In the spring of 2020, skin cancer was diagnosed in the third stage, about which she gave an interview in the Gazet Van Antwerpen. Fortunately, Liekens has now been declared cancer-free. But even that clearly doesn’t stop her followers from expressing their opinions about her body.

Less inhibited

entertainment">Why is it that bodyshamers feel that they are allowed to express their opinion online about someone else’s body? “If you are active online, you feel less inhibited,” says Sara Pabian, professor of communication sciences at the University of Antwerp and Tilburg. “You are not directly confronted with the victim, because there is a screen in between.”

entertainment">In addition, there are hardly any negative consequences associated with the behaviour. “There are few risks involved in body shaming on the internet. Unless it goes beyond certain limits established by law, such as invasion of privacy. But you can’t be sued for hurtful comments. That’s why people just post what they think,” says Pabian.

entertainment">Many people who practice body shaming would keep their real-life comments to themselves, says Pabian. “Anyone can post a comment, whoever wants to can even do so anonymously by not mentioning a real name on his account. In addition to those platform-related causes, it often also concerns people who vent negative feelings by taking them out on others,” it sounds.

Ventilate frustration

entertainment">Sometimes that can be because the perpetrator himself struggles with his appearance, but that is not necessarily the case. “It can also be caused by a bad day at work, which makes the Instagram user frustrated and wants to get rid of it that way. But we also often see the phenomenon return out of boredom.”

entertainment">Body shaming is therefore for all ages. “It’s a form of online aggression that occurs in every age group, even those over sixty-five. Children and young people are often still developing, as a result of which they have not yet developed enough empathy and do not empathize enough with the victim. Or they think it’s ‘cool’ to give themselves such an identity,” says Pabian. “In adults, it is more often about venting negative emotions and combating boredom.”

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