Cyprus’ fatphobia

In Cyprus, the average woman has grown a great deal in the last few decades! In 2024, we’re actually an average size of 44 to 46 – that’s a size 16 to 18 in Britain; in America, 14 to 16. 

Now, if we wanted to prove a point, we’d say walk away from this article right now, and go straight to the nearest mall. Look for something in a size 46, search high and low. Check the usual outlets; any of the major clothing chains will do.

But, unless you visited one of the few shops that understands larger women also need clothes!, you’d probably come home emptyhanded. Because retailers on this island seem to want to cater only to tiny, incy wincy little women. Or, at the very least, to the women of the past…

“In the 60s, the average dress size was a British 12, or 40 in European terms,” says Marilena Kyriacou. “In the 90s, we got ‘heroine chic’, and everyone wanted to be a stick – size 0 was seen as the ultimate accomplishment! But in the 2020s, the world finally started celebrating its natural curves – just look at Lizzo!”

“However, we may be a little behind the times in Cyprus,” she adds. “Here, fatphobia still exists.”

A drama teacher, youth worker, performer and activist, Marilena wears many hats. She always has. But her basic motivation remains the same: to help others, women and teens in particular, who are grappling with issues related to stereotyping, bullying or self-esteem.

In her 34 years, she helped initiate Queer Collective CY, facilitated an anti-racism EU project, and co-facilitated drama workshops for the EuroScholar programme of the European Parliament. 

But her latest project, My Body, a short film set to be released later this year, tackles a subject that’s very close to her heart: fatphobia.

“I think, as a culture, Cyprus is still somewhere in the 1990s or early 2000s, in the midst of the Kate Moss era,” she admits. “We’re still expected to be Disney princesses: pretty, thin, no cellulite or body hair. And that’s a lifelong recipe for disaster, isn’t it?”

Marilena talks about young women absorbing the idea that they need to battle their bodies; about societal norms, social media, the patriarchy, capitalism – the myriad of factors that influence our understanding and perception of our own bodies.

“Where’s the advice that we should love and accept the way we look, that we should be kind to ourselves and our bodies?” she asks. “Why do we have this preconception that larger people are not fit and healthy, that they obviously don’t go to the gym, that they must be disease-ridden? These are all stereotypes, and they need to be changed…”

Through her film, Marilena shares her thoughts and perspectives – bravely displaying her curves for all to see, and talking about her own body issues.

‘Cellulite, fat, food, autoimmune. Pimples, laser, dietitians, tachycardia. Scars, burns, flat feet. I’m short too!’she laments.‘But I’m tired of pressuring myself.’

“The hope is that other people, especially women, will see the film and challenge what society has told them to believe – begin to talk to each other, and realise that we all have issues surrounding our bodies, be it weight or hair or cellulite. There’s a lot that’s open to the viewer’s interpretation in the film,” she adds. “But the main idea is to start a conversation about our unhealthy relationships with our own bodies.”

In February of this year, the House Health Committee released a report on eating disorders on the island. It stated that the number of registered eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia had recently soared; that the system was failing sufferers; and that such disorders had increased by 60 per cent in the last year.

“When did we, as an island, start glorifying ‘thin’ over ‘healthy’?” asks Marilena. “Yes, the world does this too. But the idea has stuck around longer in Cyprus. And I think there are a lot of reasons for that…”

A traumatised cultural identity, small population, and resistance to change are just a few of the issues Marilena suggests.

“Because of 1974, many Cypriots don’t know who they are – we’re a country that struggles with identity, with the trauma of displacement and survival. We’re taught that to endure, we must fit in: we must be pretty and thin, we must be plucked and shaved, we must marry and have children. And, above all, we must never question the status quo.

“Meanwhile, everyone knows everyone else’s business on this island; there’s no place you can be anonymous. We judge each other on a daily basis, living for others’ good opinions. This is not a recipe for a healthy self-image in body or mind,” she notes.

Various global studies have shown that preschool children already show a preference for average-sized over overweight friends. Healthcare providers have been shown to harbour preconceived bias against larger patients, delivering lower quality care and more negative health outcomes. And western psychologists have noticed that those who are overweight are often perceived as lacking control.  

“My work in drama and as an activist for change often centres on these issues,” says Marilena. “And My Body, which I worked on with a small group of dedicated professionals, is a way for me to support and encourage others.

“I think all of us, especially in Cyprus, feel the need to conform to an unrealistic, outdated ideal – especially in the way we look,” she concludes. “We all feel the same pressures, no matter our age or sex.

“But it’s important to know that none of us are alone. That when we begin talking about our issues, expressing our thoughts and fears, we can start to accept ourselves for who we are – both as individuals and as a nation. Because, in Cyprus, maybe we’re too good at accepting stereotypes.”

For more information, visit the Instagram account marilena_kyriacou