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Celebrities and Diet Culture

I will be honest - when I first saw Lizzo's post yesterday discussing some form of "detox" regimen she has been following, the body image advocate in me was disappointed.  But then as I sat back and thought for a moment, something occurred to me:

It's none of my fucking business.

Lizzo's post is the perfect example that celebrities are not immune to diet culture. We cannot and should not be mad or disappointed at the person being sucked into diet culture; but instead the grasp that the dieting industry has on all of us - no matter where we are on our body image journey.  

Sure, as a dietitian working in eating disorders, it makes me nervous that young followers who idolize her may follow in her footsteps. It's also not unbeknownst to me that Lizzo is someone who many in the body positive or fat positive communities look up to.  But this got me thinking - never once to my knowledge did Lizzo ASK to be a body image advocate along with her celebrity title.  This is a label that has been placed on her by the media - because God forbid, someone who identifies as a fat, black woman solely be recognized for her singing...she has to constantly explain her body size and worth in this fat-phobic and racist society, too.  

I'm torn, because I will own up that my initial reaction was disappointment, but then it made me reflect at how I've demonized other celebrities in the media for going on or promoting diets. Jennifer Lopez, for one, is someone I've angrily tagged in Instagram stories for promoting a dangerous elimination diet. The entire Kardashian/Jenner clan are others whom not only promote diet culture, but actually make money and profit off of sham diet supplements and waist trainer products. I think the latter example is a rightful place for the anti-diet movement to spend time and energy educating the mass public...but can we really be upset with celebrities being open about their dieting cycles when a majority of Americans will also do the same at some point in their lifetime?

Here's my take-away: it's okay and normal to grieve potentially losing such an outspoken and popular advocate in fat activism.  But by falling prey to cancel culture instead of attacking the system that keeps diets and weight stigma alive, then we really aren't going to get anywhere anytime soon. Diet culture isn't the shark - it's the water - and everybody is swimming in it. We have to hold compassion and grace for everyone, even if the negative side effects of diets are crystal clear for us.  Because most likely that person does not know they are causing harm....and it's only when you know better, you can then DO better.



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