Thin privilege is not understanding why weight loss can be triggering. Recently, my cousin lost 20 pounds. At my grandmas birthday dinner, everyone gushed over how amazing she looked. I started getting visibly upset. Seeing my slim cousin was already triggering enough, and made me feel awful about my size. As she discussed her diet and exercise, I broke down in tears. My family regarded me with curiosity. As if the idea that my cousin being praised for being less fat and therefore less like me making me upset was preposterous! “But it wasn’t even ABOUT you!” my cousin’s mother insisted. No, it was about me. See, by praising someone for losing weight, you’re indirectly fueling fat phobia. My thin family doesn’t understand why talking about weight loss can make me break down.