Jennylyn Mercado slams body shaming, says it's a 'toxic Filipino trait'

It’s the holidays, and despite the current pandemic, we all deserve to have the best time. This includes bonding over food with our nearest and dearest.

But as we understandably gain a few pounds, there are some people who just can’t help but negatively point it out and make us feel shameful about our bodies. For actress Jennylyn Mercado, the indecency needs to stop.

In a tweet, she stated two reasons why people need to bring such a “toxic Filipino trait” to a halt. “First of all, it’s rude, second it may trigger some people na may Ed (eating disorder)," she said. 

Mercado also stressed it’s the “wrong mentality” when a netizen seemingly justified body shaming.

“Not everyone would like to be commented sa kanilang appearance. Nakakalungkot magbasa ng comments dito ng mga taong naappektuhan ang self esteem,” she continued. 

A Twitter user then opened up that she has stopped attending family gatherings because of it. Mercado replied: “I know it hurts and it’s hard… But don’t let other people dictate how you live your life. Kapit lang. better days are ahead.”

After all, our physical appearance does not determine our worth, she emphasized.

Just recently, actress Janella Salvador claimed “Filipinos are the worst body shamers” after getting criticized over her "weight gain." She's currently making the most of her vacation in the United Kingdom with her boyfriend, singer Markus Paterson.