BODY SHAME Two women tell us about the abuse they’ve received – and how they’re rising above it
‘HE KNEW THAT THOSE NASTY THREATS WOULD REALLY INTIMIDATE ME’
Naomi Isted, 40, a TV presenter who lives in Essex, was on holiday in St Lucia when online trolls made vile comments about her.
I booked a birthday holiday to St Lucia in February last year, determined to enter my fifth decade with a bang. I felt really confident about turning 40 and, after the hard work I’d put in at the gym, thought I was looking toned and fit. Then my world came crashing down. On the day of my birthday, I was trolled for bikini pics and the comments were horrendous. ‘What a state she looks for 40,’ one snarled. ‘She needs a tummy tuck,’ blasted another. ‘Cottage-cheese bum,’ sniped someone else. I was devastated reading them, they were so vile. It felt like a physical shock. My husband, Haydn, 46, a property developer, tried to reassure me. He was very protective and completely disgusted that people would say things like that to me. He told me I was in amazing shape and these people were just jealous idiots hiding behind their computer screens. But I started to question everything. It wasn’t that I thought I had a perfect body – I’ve got two kids, Fleur, 10, and Rocco, four – but I was happy thinking I was the best version of myself. ‘Am I seeing something different to what everyone else is seeing?’ I asked myself, and went into a downward spiral, becoming increasingly paranoid. I started to look for new cellulite treatments, research tummy tucks and did loads of Body Coach
workouts. I’d had the odd comment on Instagram in the past, but this was another level – and no one had ever said anything to me in real life. It was mostly men. I think it’s jealousy. They’re trying to break people’s confidence.
Unhappy lives On another occasion, I even got
death threats for an article I did about flying first class. My husband was deleting emails that were coming through in the middle of the night. He was devastated and wanted to protect me because he knew those threats would really intimidate me and hurt my feelings. Of course, I get supportive comments, too, but you zone in on the nastiness and the negativity. It’s taken me months to get over it. Now, I’m determined not to let these sad keyboard warriors break me. They must have unhappy lives if they’re hiding behind a computer screen saying horrible things. For the most part, I feel fine – but if I’m having a bad day, it’s hard not to let the doubts creep back in.
‘IT FELT LIKE A PHYSICAL SHOCK’
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Naomi with husband Haydn and kids Fleur and Rocco
