A woman, one of our loyal followers, wrote a heartbreaking letter to our editorial, sharing her painful experience of being body-shamed by her own husband.
She had to undergo an emergency C-section, but instead of being supportive and grateful, her husband told her that the scar on her abdomen looks repelling.
Here’s her full story
“1 (32F) had a C-section to deliver our daughter two years ago, because she was in distress and it was the only way to save her. The surgery left me with a horizontal scar across my lower abdomen, which I’m very self-conscious about.
My husband (35M) and I were having an open conversation about our bodies, and he admitted that my C-section scar kinda grosses him out. He said he still loves me and finds me attractive, but he can’t help feeling repulsed by the scar. He said he wishes I had a natural birth, or at least a smaller scar.
I was shocked and hurt by his words. I told him that the scar is a reminder of how I risked my life to bring our daughter into the world, and that he should be grateful and supportive, not judgmental and shallow. I said he has no idea how painful and traumatic the C-section was for me, and how hard it was to recover from it. I said he should love me for who I am, not for how I look.
He apologized and said he didn’t mean to hurt me, but he was just being honest. He said he can’t change how he feels, and he asked me to understand his perspective. He said he hopes we can move past this and not let it affect our relationship.
I’m still upset and angry with him. I feel like he doesn’t appreciate what I went through, and he’s being insensitive and superficial. I don’t know if I can forgive him for saying such a hurtful thing.
So, am I in the wrong for feeling heartbroken that my husband finds the physical reminder of our most challenging and triumphant experience “distasteful”? I find myself overwhelmed by his words, and I’m struggling to cope with the emotional aftermath of this revelation. Your insights and advice are greatly appreciated as I navigate through these complex emotions.”
