Petiteness. 

It was a compliment, once

Instilled in me since primary school 

Always the small one. 
Always the one who would shock parents, teachers, students alike on how much I eat. 

Flattering, it once was. 

I was proud, but what was there to be proud about? 

I didn’t try to be petite.
Aged 5, I wasn’t worried about the size of my thighs, the size of my stomach, the size of my arms,
But aged 15 I was.

Whenever I’d wear anything that wasn’t skinny jeans and a t-shirt, comments flowed from ear to ear
Echoes of, “Wow, look at your stomach! I’m so jealous”
“You are so lucky!” people would say

I was 15. 
I was not lucky 
These comments stuck

When being petite has been your defining characteristic since childhood, 
How do you react when your body starts to change? 
Albeit naturally, 
But it didn’t feel so natural. 

I was the small one. 
So I thought I needed to remain the small one. 

I thought I liked being petite. 
This wasn’t me, though; it was society 

Stop using petiteness as a defining physical characteristic in children

It’s not flattering
It’s damaging