Belly Shame: Stories From the Gut: iPinion Syndicate writers share their thoughts about belly shame: Fat or flat, firm or flabby... Why are we so uncomfortable with our own bellies and bodies?

Why are we so ashamed of our bellies? We aren't born that way, but somewhere along the line, most of us get the message that our bellies are unacceptable. We have "belly shame." A group of syndicated columnists and writers were challenged to write about their own experiences with belly shame and body shame. From people of normal weight who still felt belly shame, to morbidly obese people who dealt not only with belly shame and body shame, but also withstood years of verbal and emotional abuse, as well as plenty of self-inflicted abuse, to one woman who had her "apron of fat" (panniculus) surgically removed, each story deals with the feelings that come with being ashamed of how our bellies look.