Ariana Grande’s body isn’t fit for public debate and Opinion. Can I get a little real with you for a second? You can be concerned about Ariana Grande’s health without being a part of the dogpiling. I’m not speaking this from the perspective of a super stanning Arihead who spends 20 hours a day studying her discography, but from a human who has been on the receiving end of similar body policing.
When the award-winning singer-actress first announced tour dates for her upcoming Eternal Sunshine Tour, I assumed without a doubt that the opening night would involve a sort of fanfare, considering her return to live performance
Why Ariana Grande’s Body Shouldn’t Be Public Discussion
While I expected chatter surrounding her costuming and performance set-list, I surely did not expect Grande’s physical form to be a prominent discussion point in news outlets, alongside ungentle comments, despite her asking people to please refrain. While much of the discourse around the star’s health has been sugar-coated with kind words, it touches on a larger issue of how the privilege of care and concern has crossed the bridge to entitlement, particularly around the bodies of women, POC, and other minority groups.
After all, the vitriol around perceived changes to the body of “Black Panther” star Chadwick Boseman immediately preceded his passing due to a four-year-long battle with colon cancer. I, for one, have never subscribed to the school of thought that someone’s inner self can’t be understood unless I feel entitled to prying into every aspect of their private being. Simply put, I don’t think that any person owes anybody an explanation about their physical changes. What would society be like if our default reaction to people was to lead with grace rather than investigate?
I’m not unsympathetic to the plight of celebrities here, as Grande’s status in the industry surely plays a role in the cultural capital she holds in media discussions. It’s almost expected for the world to dissect every aspect of a performer of her magnitude, but is she not owed some basic level of humanity? Not to dismiss the entire effort of medical professionals and activists who have used their platform to spread light and resources about eating disorders with their audiences, as that kind of grace can undoubtedly be lifesaving.
But in general, when we choose to participate in the public shaming around people’s weight, we are essentially choosing to uphold a culture that prioritizes the value of outer appearance to the detriment of inner beauty. While Grande and Boseman are certainly examples of privileged minorities who have suffered from this issue disproportionately, we also see the same toxic behavior directed towards lower-profile individuals who haven’t reached “Hollywood” levels of fame. It’s a discussion that resonates deeply with me as a fat-shamed Black gay man who has struggled with the cultural attitude around weight in my own life
Body Shaming Has Real Consequences
Fat shaming leads to harmful behavior. I vividly remember the gradual internalization of shame that began when I was around 18 years old, after an extended family member decided to single me out at a family gathering for “teaching” me a lesson. I was finishing up my plate, being polite and finishing my food, when this relative decided to make a scene by calling me out publicly for being “always eating”
What they didn’t realise is that this shameful display inspired the start of my own relationship with food in public, which I am still trying to come to terms with at the age of 32. Those shaming people about their weight or eating habits tend to have far greater impact on the target of their comments than any well-meaning conversations about being healthy, since they are driven by entitlement and disregard for the personal boundaries of others
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What This Says About Our Culture
One of the reasons why this discussion around Grande’s health is so important to me is that none of us know what is actually going on in her life and if she’s struggling. We can all express concern, but I think it’s important to take a step back and recognize that if we are doing this to one of the most prominent performers of our time and the public figure who represents a large portion of this generation, what does it say about us as a culture, and what are we teaching kids? If we don’t fix this, I think we set a really dangerous precedent for future generations of young women and girls, where any change in their physical appearance will be met by this sort of public humiliation.
