Dear Dani - I'm that woman in your picture.

Dear Dani,

As I was perusing Facebook the other night, I saw the story of your gross and vile SnapChat being posted and shared and was both shocked and heartbroken, as so many were.

You see, I'm that woman in the picture. No, not that specific woman, but I am her. And thousands of other women in this country are as well.

I am plus sized; I wish I wasn't, but I am. I already heap enough harsh words and thoughts on myself based on the way I look; I don't need your voice added to the mix.

Do you know how difficult it ALREADY is to go to a place like a gym? Nearly everyone in the gym is already fit, lean. I am neither. I don't go as often as I should because I'm already nervous about going into a place full of the "beautiful people."  I worry that other gym members will be judging me, talking about me - or even, as you did, taking a picture and texting it to their friends. Or in your case, your whole SnapChat followers list.

You have no idea about that woman's story. Maybe she is at the gym because it's the one place she has "me time" away from her family and responsibilities. Maybe she gained weight after having a baby, or after a surgery, or after taking a medication, and is trying to lose it. Maybe she has been overweight most of her life, and nervous for years to go to a gym, but finally talked herself into going and was finally starting to feel good about herself.

I cannot imagine the pain she is going through now, seeing herself in your photo. I bet you have no idea how demoralizing it is to start on the road to feeling good about yourself, only to be knocked down a few pegs by someone like you.

I wish I knew who she was - not so that she could be further victimized, but so I could give her a hug, squeeze her hand and say, I am so sorry.

And as long as we're talking about sorry, let's talk about your "apology", shall we? You appear to not have given many apologies in your life so I'll give you some pointers, just in case you have to give one in the future. Saying, in essence, that you only meant to send that to one friend and not your whole list IS NOT AN APOLOGY. You had a golden opportunity to truly say you were sorry, and to try and make amends to this poor woman and other women like her, who are in gyms everyday around this country, who already feel as though people look down on them. But instead you tried to pass off your SnapChat as no big deal, which further shows your true character (or lack thereof).

The poet Maya Angelou once said, "When people show you who they are, believe them." Dani, you've shown us exactly who you are, and even though your exterior is pretty, your insides are ugly. And every day of the week and twice on Sundays, I would choose being that woman in your photo instead of you.