Even though it's 2018, some folks still have a lot to say about other people's relationships, and why or why not they're kosher — even though, you know, it's really no one else's business. Blogger and body-positive activist Melissa Gibson, however, is not here for it and has a message to anyone who judges other people's love. Preach, girl!
On Instagram, Gibson posted photos of herself and her boyfriend, Johnathan, celebrating New Year's Eve, only to be berated with negative comments about their appearance.
Some folks just can't let a woman live and wear a sparkly dress. The comments ranged from the typical health-concern trolling to people saying they don't look like a match since he's thinner than she is — all implying that Gibson isn't worthy of her relationship with him, she tells CafeMom. She continues:
"I think people feel entitled because there is a sense that attraction is tied only to bodies that fit within a certain mold, one that my body does not fit into, but my partner's does."
Since his attraction to her is breaking some sort of rule, and makes certain people feel uncomfortable or insecure, they conclude that something must be wrong with him, like he must have a fetish.
"What they are doing is not only defining a person's worth by their body, but also then buying into ideas about who deserves to be loved and by whom," she says.
This kind of privilege, she wrote on Instagram, which puts value on superficial factors like their appearance, ends up erasing and delegitimatizing totally meaningful relationships.
"The reality is that attraction does not simply belong to thin people, and to deny that is denying the real, beautiful love that exists between so many so-called mismatched couples," she tells CafeMom. "Beauty is not so narrowly defined and really if you believe it is, you are the ones missing out."
Gibson says she and her partner will fight for their right to love without question.
"Johnathan and I recognize our relationship is political, but for us it just feels right and makes sense," she tells CafeMom.
In hopes to empower other underrepresented people to feel like their love is worthy, despite their shape, size, race, gender identity, or anything else, she asked people online to share photos of their "political" relationships.
People responded in droves. Her Instagram inbox was flooded with photos and messages from other "mismatched" couples, which she shared on her Stories.
"Fuck the haters," this woman, who sent two adorable photos with her boyfriend, wrote in her message to Gibson.
There was this "badass babe and her partner."
Then there was this photo of a married couple whose relationship "apparently makes people mad."
The woman who sent Gibson the photo included a comment in which someone insulted their relationship simply based on her weight.
And then there was another cute couple who have every right to celebrate their love anytime they please, despite their size and racial differences.
We wish Gibson and the other so-called "mismatched couples" the absolute best in their relationships and shutting down the haters.
