It seems as though every January, no matter what else is happening in the world of greater significance (hello Australia, hello impeachment, hello Iran…???) if a celebrity loses weight or gains weight or is a fat, happy person, there is no peace for the plump. The internet is abuzz…. Did Adele lose too much weight too quickly, did Lizzo get fatter and Jillian Michaels get snarkier about Lizzo’s weight “problem?”
As one of the first plus size models in the early 80’s, I’m known for having carved a curve out in the industry and become plus royalty. I can’t lie, I wish I was born with the thin gene, but I’ve long given up beating myself into an unnecessary place of body bashing and self-bullying. I’ve made peace with my abilities and learned to dress for the size (and shape) that I am. And I’ve become a role model in the meantime. I don’t claim, “Come on girls get as big as you want, we have clothes for ya…” I try to be a better eater, not a perfect eater and move and groove with the rhythm of my life’s purpose. And being a member of Divabetic has helped me fulfill my desire to tamper my message in a world of finger wagging and blame/shame games. I have a balance in my meal program… and I don’t binge and purge, or starve and sate myself. I live in the means and watch my numbers. It’s called mindfulness….
All these accusations and admonishments, where do they come from? Why do we need examples of who is getting it right, and what does that even mean? It all stems from the fact that we live in a completely image and size obsessed world and have been since the photograph and camera was invented. (Well, maybe Eve said to Adam, “Does this leaf make me look fat?”) It all comes down to that little aperture, the shutter that should make you shutter, that moment in time captured and frozen for all to gaze upon like some reverse narcissistic trip. The invention of the camera started it all, then airbrushing and lighting and photo retouching came about (long before photoshop there still was retouching). But the one invention, the fitness expert, the guru, the admonishing diet industry has worked its way into our self-doubt and self-loathing, finding a way to lower our self-esteem and compare ourselves to others even more. And like gawkers at a car crash site, we are curiosity seekers wanting to see the transformation or the cat fight that ensues from the comments, criticism and backlash that spirals out of control. Going viral is almost a rite of passage, like it hasn’t mastered the art of breaking through and causing a riot if it hasn’t been posted, pounced on or passed on. It’s a giant train wreck on social media these days. Sometimes what’s trending is so vapid and yawn-inducing that you wonder when people are going to get real lives and start living off their smart phones. I think the fact that we can make comments and they are uncensored to the point of being downright demonic, mean spirited, snarky and border on bullying, really tests one’s capacity of finding inner peace and tuning out the noise. No matter if we are not particularly obsessed with the person losing weight, it’s as if everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon and express their opinion. There is a vast assortment of gurus and trainers who want us to “give ‘em twenty” – and have you PAY them for it and fan the flames that capitalize on the debate that ensues!!!
I just was called on yesterday by Cindy Hsu of CBS News and asked to come out and make a comment on Adele’s 50 pound weight loss. It’s like she wanted me to say something like, “Well we lost another one.” But Cindy is great because she and I analyze what does this mean societally and she calls on me for that wisdom. Somehow every celebrity succumbs to the industry’s obsessive pressures to lose weight. It wasn’t Twiggy who glamorized the gaunt look, it was Wallis Simpson who claimed, “you can never be too thin or too rich” Now that seems to be something at least we all would somewhat agree on. Except if one has become rich by being too fat.
Enter Lizzo…she would never be Lizzo unless she was a beautiful, talented, songstress who is sort of the more zaftig, musical equivalent of the sassy, quick witted, and lighthearted Tiffany Haddish. They are the epitome of the African American woman who is allowed to be voluptuous and almost garish in her garb. Fishnets, short shorts, body con dresses, hips and butt twerking for the masses. And that flute. Lordy, lordy….she is a in your face, this is me, take it or leave it (we’ll take it) and her song is infectious and anthematic. Just like Gwen Stefani with her “ain’t no holler back girl song,” this Lizzo music is annoyingly memorable and sing songy, too. And Lizzo’s lyrics are empowering and rap clever. (“I just took a DNA test, turns out I’m 100% that bitch”)….
Enter today’s latest news cycle war….Lizzo vs. Jillian….Jillian Michaels who is a taut and toned, somewhat judgmental, ex -coach of The Biggest Loser, whip cracker, and a fitness expert who makes her living from getting people completely reinvented and molded into shape is criticized for fat shaming. The fat shaming label is being kind to what she used to do to people’s egos on that show. Jillian has somewhat mellowed now that she is not trying for Loser rating gains. I don’t think she was shaming her. She was merely pointing to the facts, and the facts don’t lie. She is large enough that she may be developing a metabolic syndrome. Our bodies are just giant chemical reactors and we eat foods that produce too much glucose, that gets stored as fat and we become pre-diabetic if not diabetic because we are insulin resistant. She never criticized her beauty or talent. Everyone wants her to just focus on how talented she is. But that’s not Jillian’s brand. She is using Lizzo as much as Lizzo is using her. Battle of the brands. I am okay the way I am, get out of my face Lizzo to Jillian who wants to highlight the dangers of obesity. I know that she is citing the facts, and it has nothing to do with the fact that they are directed at Lizzo. Take Lizzo out of the equation and level them on anyone who is overweight for any period of time. Everyone heard judgment from Jillian. I heard facts. Lizzo is young enough that she has a few good years of werking the twerk left before she may have knee problems, or back problems or become pre-diabetic. She shied away from Instagram and she was a vegetarian and a vegan for seven years and she has an Instagram account called @LizzoBeEating. It came her food reviews and morphed into music. I don’t know what her food regimen is, but she has a bold style and no one tells her what to do these days I am guessing. She can’t eat before she performs because she feels sluggish but as she says, after I perform, “It’s going DOWN!” I love both these messages and think the operative word again goes back to BALANCE. It really is that simple. Stay outta the comment section or the viral spiral and live YOUR best life. As the liberated Lizzo says in Truth Hurts, “I put the sing in single” and “Don’t text me tell it straight to my face.”
This Divabetic blog post was written by Divabetic Image & Style Advisor, Catherine Schuller. Catherine Schuller is one of the plus size industry’s pioneers to know. Former Ford model, consumer advocate, promoter, marketer, editor, image consultant (Certified by AICI), author, and entrepreneur (owner of Catherine Schuller Enterprises, (Emerging Visions Enterprises and CurveStyle: Reshaping Fashion) as a Plus Size spokesperson and diabetes advocate she has changed attitudes about living well with diabetes for thousands of people. In partnership with HiTechMODA, Catherine presents the best and most talented emerging designers in an unparalleled runway style during New York Fashion Week!