Definitely not a body-shaming post," she wrote, seemingly anticipating criticism, "how do y'all feel about a nine-year-old wearing a body shaper (girdle)?" Elaborating, she wrote that the dress she'd bought for her stepdaughter was somewhat tight in the waist but could not be taken out.
"She's a plus-size kid. And her dress is a little snug. I figure why not try a body shaper to smooth out some of the edges to give that perfect fit," she wrote.
In response, thousands of commenters shamed the woman and expressed concern for her stepdaughter's body image and overall self-esteem.
"This right here is one of the main reasons girls have low self-esteem. If their mothers don't accept them, who will?" wrote one.
In the earlier post, the woman had written that while she would be willing to order a custom-made dress for her stepdaughter, but "it would be a fight for me to even ask her mother for her to be sized."
"Why people are so reluctant to buy the size that fits their kid?" one commenter asked in response. "Stop taking your body issues out on your kids. It really messes them up," wrote another.
"I can't even begin to imagine the long-term ramifications that are going to have on that child. I want to cry," wrote a third.