Photo Credit: BuzzFeed AM to DM/Youtube
Former Biggest Loser coach and fitness trainer Jilian Michaels appeared on Buzzfeed’s AM to DM show yesterday and was asked a question about Lizzo’s weight which the internet didn’t exactly take so well. She said, “I love her music, yeah, 100%. Don’t know anything about her. I’m sure she’s a cool, awesome chick. But why are we celebrating her body? Why does it matter? That’s what I’m saying. Why aren’t we celebrating her music? Because it isn’t going to be awesome if she gets diabetes. I love her music. My kid loves her music. But there’s never a moment where I’m like, ‘And I’m so glad that she’s overweight.’ Why do I even care? Why is it my job to care about her weight?”
Again, it’s important to note that she was asked a question about her, so it isn’t as though she just decided to start ragging on her just because. Also note that she’s a fitness trainer. This is her life and her job. What else did you expect her to say? But you certainly couldn’t tell the internet that. “What a pathetic excuse of a human,” National Book Award finalist Tressie McMillan Cottom tweeted. Adding my two cents into this, Cottom she went to VCU which is near where I’m living now so she gets 2 points there and then I’m subtracting them for the insult. A health expert commenting on health is to be expected. It just is. I personally love Lizzo’s confidence and if what she is doing makes her feel better and can shatter some stereotypes, then so be it. Is it also unhealthy to be her size? Yes. Maybe she’s trying to do something about it. Why can’t both women be left alone… Lizzo AND Jilian? Sheesh.
Next up was comedian Sara Benincasa who tweeted, “Jillian Michaels hates her own body and is worried that if other people hate their bodies less, they’ll stop buying [what] she peddles. She’s worried about the bottom line, not Lizzo’s health (or yours, or mine.)” Singer Brad Walsh said, “The unhealthiest thing about Lizzo is the unrelenting national obsession with whether her body is ‘acceptable. People really love to inspect and dissect a black woman’s physical “form to determine whether she ‘deserves’ to be loved. Stop it.” Now I will give him the argument about black women’s bodies being disrespected as far as their normal shape being body shamed. Again, Lizzo is more of an extreme example and she was not explicitly fat shamed. It was more a conversation about health from a health professional.
Michaels doubled down on her comments on Twitter for those who were busy ripping her a new one over something she essentially said she didn’t care about. “As I’ve stated repeatedly we are all beautiful, worthy, and equally deserving,” she wrote. “I also feel strongly that we love ourselves enough to acknowledge that there are serious health consequences that come with obesity — heart disease, diabetes, cancer to name only a few. I would never wish these for ANYONE and I would hope we prioritize our health because we LOVE ourselves and our bodies.” Lizzo didn’t respond because she’s taking a break from Twitter, citing all the trolls. This came especially after her Lakers game get up of wearing a thong in public and twerking for all to see.
— Jillian Michaels (@JillianMichaels) January 9, 2020
For Lizzo to so unapologetically be who she is, it’s going to come with some pushback. That’s just what it is, but people appreciate her confidence, on top of being an enormously talented woman. But her weight is going to also come with critique and for people to get bent out of shape for a fitness expert doing her job, it’s uncalled for. As I said earlier, leave Lizzo and Jilian Michaels both alone. The internet is always outraged about something but I can tell you this, this one isn’t worth it.
