A young Australian woman has shared a humiliating experience at the doctors which left her in tears.
Kelsie, 26, lives in Brisbane and went to her local GP to get a script refilled for a medication that helps her manage polycystic ovarian syndrome.
She said the appointment should have been “simple and straightforward”, but instead, she was lectured about her weight.
The doctor weighed her and said that she’d gained too much weight recently and then proceeded to body shame the 26-year-old.
“This man said to me ‘you need to take something that is going to make you lose weight because even if you like curvy bodies, what you have is a fat man body’,” she said.
Kelsie said all she needed was to refill a routine script, but was humiliated by the doctor.
“I’m just a girly pop going to the doctor’s for a piece of paper for my $8 medication, and I’m being lectured about my fat man bod,” she said.
The young Aussie said this experience was why she “actively” avoids going to the doctors.
“I am not entitled to the same health care as a man is entitled to or a straight-sized person is entitled to,” she said.
She claimed that the experience proves that “if you’re a woman, you aren’t going to get what you need” from Australia’s healthcare system.
Perhaps the saddest part about Kelsie’s experience is that she wasn’t shocked by it.
“The experience was upsetting but unfortunately not surprising, and it made me feel frustrated because my needs weren’t listened to,” she said.
“It feels like if you’re in a bigger body that the doctor fills in the blanks and is assumptive of what you’re looking for.”
Kelsie considers herself resilient and someone who can take things on the chin, but ultimately, she wants to be able to go to the doctor without running the risk of having her body “ridiculed” and judged.
The incident resonated with other women online who were quick to share similar experiences.
“I avoid seeking healthcare for the exact same reason,” one commented – and a slew of similar comments followed.
“When I went to the doctor to confirm my pregnancy, he recommended I lose 25kg,” another added.
“I remember going to the GP last year with peak depression and anxiety, wanting a mental health care plan. And the doctor said losing weight would help with that more,” another woman said.
“I went to the doctor for vaccinations to leave the country and got told to get on a care plan for my health because I’m a bit chubby,” one added.
Another person said she “hasn’t physically seen a GP in several years for this exact reason”, calling it “too traumatic”.