Other people’s bodies are none of our business.
Following the release of her hugely popular single, Easy On Me, Adele has been making headlines in recent weeks.
For the most-part, the coverage has been about her upcoming music, or the inspiration behind her songs. However, at times, the dialogue has gone off track, and veered into discussions about Adele’s weight.
Addressing this head on, the singer told Oprah Winfrey that she was “disappointed” by these conversations.
On the CBS special – Adele One Night Only – the singer said: “I’m not shocked or even phased by it, because my body has been objectified my entire career.”
On the subject of her weight loss, Adele said: “I was body positive then and I’m body positive now. But it’s not my job to validate how people feel about their bodies.”
Adele is right. Conversations about weight gain or weight loss are, at best, uninteresting, and at worst, downright dangerous.
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Moreover, they contribute to the hugely prevalent myth that classifies weight loss as an inherently healthy, unquestionably worthy undertaking. At the same time, weight gain is needlessly stigmatised. The bodies of performers and public figures become talking points, and the conversation continues to centralise on appearance rather than the person’s character, or their body of work.
Adele is far from the only celebrity who has pointed out the media’s tendency to give weight loss or weight gain more credence than these topics deserve.
Jonah Hill recently took to Instagram to politely request that people stop asking him about or commenting on his weight.
In October, he wrote: “I know you mean well but I kindly ask that you not comment on my body.
“Good or bad I want to politely let you know it’s not helpful and doesn’t feel good. Much respect.”
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Additionally, beyond the celebrity realm, it’s worthwhile to remember that other people’s bodies are none of our business. Whether or not we mean well with our words, it can be difficult to anticipate the precise impact our comments may have on someone else’s self-esteem.
That’s not to say that we shouldn’t reach out if we’re worried that a friend may be going through a hard time. However, conversations centred around weight specifically will be generally unhelpful.
For practical advice on what to do if you’re concerned for a friend or a family member, head to Bodywhys’ website right here.
