Confessions of a Skinny Bitch: My Rant about being a Rake

I am skinny.  I wasn’t always; I went through a period of chubbiness as a teenager; but for most of my life, this has been my body.  I eat what I want.  Some people think I’m lying about that, probably because I had anorexia, but it’s the awkward truth.  I asked the doctor why I don’t put on weight easily and he said that a history of anorexia can actually contribute to the body struggling to keep weight on later in life.  So maybe that’s why.  Or maybe everyone else is eating more than me.  You be the judge- this is what I ate yesterday:

-Two lattes
-A bbq pork roll from the Vietnamese bakery down the road
-A tuna, egg and potato salad
-Bread and butter
-Two Mountain Goat amber ales
-A KFC Gaytime Krushie with extra bits
-Chocolate caramel mousse, also from KFC (I love dessert) 

My eating is a tad random, but that's pretty much an average day.  Now that everything's on the table (pardon the pun) I'll commence my rant.  

Because I am thin, people seem to think it is entirely acceptable to interrogate and belittle me over my weight.  It is the opposite of a taboo subject, open for discussion by anyone and at any opportunity.  I'm regularly asked if I eat, the answer to which is apparently irrelevant, because if it's not 'no', ensuing eye rolling will clearly indicate there was never any doubt in the first place.  A girl at the Brunswick Hotel walked up to me a few months ago and asked if I had anorexia.  Someone from work called me a 'skinny bitch' the other day.  

In saying this makes me uncomfortable, I am not simply beating my chest and claiming my due.  It's pretty weird having the focus placed squarely on your body, especially when that focus derives from complete strangers.  I understand that I'm supposed to take it as a 'compliment', but isn't it a lot to ask of me to mentally unpick people's insults to reveal their inherent complimentary meaning?  Maybe they really do just think I'm a skinny bitch?    

When this does happen, I inevitably feel pressured to 'defend' myself, by providing the person with an explanation as to why I'm skinny but not an obsessive freak.  Otherwise, of course, I'll assume they believe the latter.  If any of this stuff was directed at a non skinny person, there would be marches in the streets.  

Which is not to say I take my body for granted.  I am immensely grateful that I’m not subject to the worries and fears with which so many women struggle every day.  The anorexia was a long time ago, and after so much therapy I'd like to think I have a fairly healthy attitude toward my weight.  I am grateful, but I'd still prefer if my body weren’t considered fair game for public analysis.              
            
I’ve got a bunch of perceived imperfections like anyone.  My nose is big and points up in an odd direction.  One of my boobs is heaps bigger than the other.  My teeth are just crazy- huge with a front gap so spacious I can easily fit a straw through it.  Just because I’m not stressing about my weight, doesn’t mean I’m free of image-related concern.  As if.  I have every right to wallow in self indulgent pity from time to time about the way I look.  Everyone does.  But I refrain from complaining for the inevitable raised eyebrow directed my way- How dare you complain about your body?  I even feel weird talking about it now.  

I guess what I’m trying to say is, just because I’m skinny, doesn’t mean I’m immune to the obvious discomfort that arrises when someone makes negative comments about my body.