Sometimes, a celebrity undergoes a weight-loss transformation, and if they’ve previously been a role model in the body-positivity movement, they are unfairly judged for it. People can get attached to a way a celebrity looks, especially when it’s a rare, relatable moment between us regular people and the elite (stars, they’re just like us!) that makes us feel more comfortable in our own skin.
For years, these stars spoke up about body confidence, rejecting Hollywood’s impossible standards and encouraging fans to love themselves as they are. But as their own appearances changed, the internet had plenty to say. But bodies aren’t public property; women in the spotlight who lose weight don’t owe an explanation, and losing weight doesn’t make them any less positive.
Barbie Ferreira
This Euphoria star famously said, “My body has never been the most interesting thing about me.” Once considered a body-positive model and actor who challenged the narrow beauty standard of Hollywood, she now has a visibly slimmer appearance that has sparked many a heated discussion online. Barbie herself is clearly unimpressed with the obsession surrounding weight-loss discussions.
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View 57 photosLizzo
Lizzo’s music and personality have always celebrated self-love at every size, making her a role model for plus-size women around the world. After sharing progress from a personal wellness journey, she faced criticism from people who treated her body positivity as though she needed to be curvy for it to be valid. She responded that she did what felt right for her body, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
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View 57 photosSelena Gomez
Selena Gomez has an autoimmune condition called lupus, and the medication causes her weight to fluctuate, and she’s spoken openly about being body-shamed. She has urged people to be more compassionate, and her story demonstrates that a changing body doesn’t automatically indicate the use of Ozempic, nor does it negate her earlier messages about self-acceptance.
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View 57 photosMindy Kaling
As a plus-sized South Asian woman, Mindy Kaling has pushed back against the idea that women in Hollywood need to fit a certain look in order to have style or be successful. Then she lost weight in recent years, shifting many online conversations towards her size. This showed the exact pressure she spent years navigating, and while she has acknowledged that audiences can get attached to a star looking a certain way, how she looks is her own decision.
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