'I think your clothes are a little too small on you': Mum claps back after being body-shamed at grocery store

<em>[Photo: Facebook/Chari Stevens]</em>
[Photo: Facebook/Chari Stevens]

One mum’s quick trip to the supermarket turned into a public humiliation when a stranger chased her and her five-month-old son down to tell her her clothes were ill-fitting. Ohio native Charli Stevens was on a quick grocery run when a woman approached her to shame her for her outfit.

“She looked at me and said, ‘I think your clothes are a little too small on you,’“ Stevens told TODAY Parents. “I was completely shocked and so caught off guard that the only thing I could say was, ‘Excuse me?’”

In response, the stranger repeated herself, adding that she was “too big to be wearing those kind of clothes.” Stevens admits she didn’t know how to respond to the woman so she began to cry.

“I’m not trying to be mean, but maybe you should reconsider your outfit before you leave your house,” added the stranger before walking away.

Stevens, who recently lost 50 pounds, placed the items from her cart back on the shelf and retreated back to her car. After returning home, Stevens fully processed what had just happened and took to social media to confront body-shamers everywhere. She posted a photo of her outfit, wearing a proud smile.

“How are people so rude? It’s no secret that I’ve gained weight throughout life. I’ve birthed two kids so it’s bound to happen. Do I realise I’m overweight? Yes. Do I want to be smaller? Yes. But am I OK with the way I look? Yes! Why would a complete stranger go out of their way to insult someone?… this lady knew nothing about me,” she wrote. “I had my five-month-old son in the cart and I am so thankful my four-year-old wasn’t with me to witness what happened.”

Her friends and family chimed in on Stevens’s Facebook post, with even complete strangers taking the side of the mum of two.

“When someone judges you. It says nothing about you. But it says everything about them!” commented one follower.

“You are beautiful. People who try to bring down others only do so because they hate their life and regret things they’ve done or didn’t do. When people are rude and hateful, usually it’s just a mirror of themselves. Don’t let anyone bring you down,” added another.

The mum added that the post was not a plea for sympathy but rather something she felt she had to do as a mum to a four-year-old girl.

“Please, have some respect for people. You never know what someone is going through or if your one little comment, snicker, stare, whatever, will be enough to break someone down or push them over the edge. I’m not writing this for sympathy but just as a plea to anyone who might read this to just be nice and have respect for people. I fear for my daughter to grow up in this world,” wrote Stevens.

“We’ve gotta set a good example for our children.”

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