As a Plus-Size Woman, Ive Certainly Dealt With Someone Who Looks Like Lizzo Fat-Shaming Me

Amid Lizzo’s ongoing allegations, see why I’m now not stunned the singer perhaps fat-shamed one in all her former dancers, Arianna Davis.
When many song lovers bring to mind Lizzo, actual name Melissa Viviane Jefferson, a few things spring to mind: Her catchy tunes like “Truth Hurts” and “About Damn Time,” her a couple of Grammys, and her Emmy-winning show on Amazon, Lizzo’s Watch out for the Big Grrrls.
The latter is a show by means of Lizzo, who has been a champion for physique positivity throughout her occupation, created to provide plus-size women like herself a chance to be considered one of her background dancers. Ironically, Lizzo’s intentional effort to primarily hire plus-size dancers led to her destructive consideration in August 2023.
Three of Lizzo’s former dancers have filed a lawsuit against her and her dance captain, Shirlene Quigley. The lawsuit accused Lizzo of creating a hostile work environment, which allegedly integrated sexual harassment, bodily abuse threats, and shaming one in all her dancers for gaining weight. While all allegations towards Lizzo have been arduous to digest for the ones acquainted with her public character, the fat-shaming facet without a doubt stuck probably the most consideration.
Lizzo being a plus-size woman who allegedly fat-shames other plus-size women stunned many of us, but it didn’t marvel me. And it most likely didn’t surprise anyone else, in particular girls, who has dealt with weight problems at any point of their lives.
Unfortunately, too many people have persevered negative feedback about our weight from the most not going source — the ones who are supposed to be from our own group!
The weight-shaming allegations against Lizzo from her former backup dancers are not anything new.
In August 2023, Lizzo’s former dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez came ahead as the ones who filed a lawsuit in opposition to the “2 Be Loved” singer.
Amid the harmful allegations in opposition to Lizzo, which include the singer allegedly forcing them to touch nude dancers at a membership, re-auditioning for their jobs, and different lewd acts involving a banana and some other dancer, Arianna accused Lizzo of shaming her for gaining weight whilst she used to be performing with her following her look on Watch Out For The Big Grrrls.
Arianna mentioned in the lawsuit that Lizzo didn’t outright inform her that her weight achieve was once problematic. Still, she stated Lizzo "gave Ms. Davis the impression that she needed to explain her weight gain and disclose intimate personal details about her life to keep her job," in step with BBC News.
Lizzo’s alleged harsh solution to Arianna’s weight gain is nothing new, at least for those who don’t have compatibility into society’s “pattern measurement.” After reading Arianna’s statement in her lawsuit and taking note of her side of the tale in an August 2023 CNN interview, I not only consider Lizzo fat-shamed Arianna, however I additionally know what it feels like to obtain criticism about your weight from the ones you believe to be aside of your community.
My weight has fluctuated through the years, which is my industry. Unfortunately, kin and previous friends felt comfy enough to make my weight their industry.
Whether it’s insulting words at circle of relatives dinners like “Girl, ANOTHER plate?” “I see you’re gaining weight once more,” to your complete one hundred eighty I’ve witnessed after dropping pounds, such as “You glance soooo good,” suggesting I wasn’t taking a look “soooo excellent” in a larger measurement.
What always blew my thoughts when I heard these comments, good or bad, was once that they had been coming from MY circle of relatives, in particular from the plus-size ladies in my family. While I certainly don’t need to drag my kinfolk, who admitted to caution me about my weight for health reasons, their responses didn’t assist my vainness.
It wasn’t until I noticed women like Toccara Jones from America’s Next Top Model and even Mo’Nique in her “F--k Skinny B---es” technology in the early 2000s that I noticed adults celebrating their size that I knew the fat shaming I skilled at house was rooted in my family’s insecurities, much like what Lizzo’s conceivable insecurities and known comments about her physique allegedly formed her perception of Arianna.
“Hurt People Hurt People”
Since filing their lawsuit towards Lizzo, her former background dancers, Arianna, Crystal, and Noelle, have shared their truths publicly in interviews. In an interview with ABC News, Arianna and Crystal claimed Lizzo’s public personality of being a body-positive, fun-loving person isn’t what they experienced in their day by day interactions with her.
After discussing their alleged abuse, Arianna gave some perception into why Lizzo allegedly behaves the way she does. Arianna stated in the interview that she didn’t imagine Lizzo was a “terrible particular person,” however she reportedly did “terrible things.” Arianna additionally felt Lizzo mistreated her employees because “harm folks harm other folks.”
The word “harm folks hurt other people” is frequently used when victims of abusers attempt to make some sense out of their actions through reminding others that the abusers have additionally been abused. According to The New York Times, about one-third of folks abused as kids transform abusers as adults.
In Lizzo’s case, the “harm” of being scrutinized in the public eye for her weight. Over the few years of her emerging to superstardom, Lizzo’s accomplishments had been overshadowed through her looks.
Celebrities like Aries Spears and health instructor Jillian Michaels are among some who were essential of Lizzo’s weight in interviews. Jillian stated in 2020, “Why are we celebrating her body? Why does it topic? Why are not we celebrating her track? 'Cause it isn't gonna be superior if she gets diabetes," per USA Today.
Lizzo also receives comments about her weight online from those who follow her social media channels and plenty more who don’t. The daily remarks about Lizzo’s weight have caused the singer to speak out in defense of herself multiple times, even resulting in her threatening to surrender track in June 2023.
I’m not pronouncing any of this excuses Lizzo’s alleged behavior. However, I can see her taking her frustration out on her dancers, who are also plus-size girls. Like my relatives who attempted to fats disgrace me, unkind words about someone’s weight completely hurt, and they have an effect on how they navigate the sector moving ahead.
If Lizzo is in charge of any of her former dancers’ allegations, I in actuality hope Lizzo takes time to mirror on her habits and make necessary adjustments. Additionally, I hope plus-size girls who glance like Lizzo forestall trying to make themselves superior by means of shaming other ladies inside of the similar community.
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