Lagos residents have said women bear the brunt of body shaming, with repeated comments about their weight, appearance and body shape often affecting their confidence and self-esteem.
They spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Sunday, noting that body-related criticism often begins in childhood and continues into adulthood.
A digital marketer, Joy Sodeinde, said she had become accustomed to comments about being too slim despite having no major concerns about her body.
She said women were frequently judged by both men and women based on their physical appearance.
“Women’s bodies shouldn’t be a topic of discussion. And it’s not just men who need to stop,” she said.
Sodeinde added that social media had also helped many women build confidence by promoting the message that beauty comes in different forms.
An entrepreneur, Charity Oparah, said she had faced comments about her weight for most of her life, adding that the constant scrutiny had sometimes made her feel pressured to lose weight.
“I don’t think anybody should have opinions about another person’s body unless they are asked. Nigerians should simply mind their business,” she said.
Oparah also observed that men appeared to face less scrutiny over their physical appearance and called for greater balance in how society discusses body image.
A realtor, Covenant Adepoju, attributed some men’s comments about women’s appearance to a sense of entitlement.
He urged people to focus on self-care without imposing unrealistic expectations on others, stressing that body shaming could leave lasting emotional scars and damage self-esteem.
However, Segun Lekan disagreed, arguing that partners should be able to discuss appearance and health concerns within relationships.
He said such conversations should be based on honesty and mutual responsibility rather than being interpreted automatically as body shaming.
A relationship coach, Temitope Akinwale, said constant criticism of a partner’s weight, skin or dressing could erode trust and create pressure to change one’s identity for acceptance.
“It starts as a comment, but over time it becomes pressure to change who you are to please someone else,” she said.
Akinwale advised couples to communicate with respect and encouraged the public to be more careful when commenting on other people’s bodies.
She said parents, teachers, influencers and media practitioners had important roles to play in changing societal attitudes towards body image.
“We need to teach young people that everybody is different. Health and beauty do not look one way. Respect, empathy and sensitivity should be our default,” she said.
She also urged people experiencing body shaming to speak up, seek support and remember that their worth should not be determined by their physical appearance.