Lizzo and Kanye West, the two faces of fatphobia fighting on stage

the rapper kanye-west He is quite a specialist when it comes to looking for enmities. Every time he makes a statement, the world can shake because you don’t know who to direct your next dart against. Recently, one of them directed it towards his colleague Lizzo, the rapper about whom the comments and insults about her physique do not stop. During an interview on Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight I decided to go into assess the state of form of the singer publicly and even the host of the program gave him a ball to release his hater speech.

“When Lizzo loses 5 kilos and announces it, the bots [un programa informtico cuya funcin es poner en marcha acciones automticas que imiten el comportamiento humano] they attack her for having lost weight, because the media wants to put the perception that being overweight is the new goal when in fact it is not healthy”, explained Kanye West during the interview. “Let’s put aside the fact of whether it is fashion or trend, which it is not. Or if someone thinks it’s attractive, each to their own. It’s actually clinically unhealthy, and for people to promote that… it’s demonic,” he bluntly stated. “Why are these body types supposedly perpetuated?” the host asks. the conspiracy: “It is a genocide of the black race. They want to kill us in any way.”

In his words, a brutal fat-phobia is evident because, although he includes a health reference, in reality it is a hard criticism of someone’s physique that is not limited to a normative body. It is true that being overweight has negative consequences on health, but Kanye West’s words do not refer to a health problem, they refer to a specific person with a name and surname about whom everyone believes they have the right to comment. Nobody knows if the singer has any health problems, but we do know that the rapper is a banner of body acceptance. She is clear that no one has the right to comment on her body. And she should have it clear to everyone.

Lizzo’s body on everyone’s lips

Kanye West’s attempt is a form of terrible manipulation that attempts to undermine body positive movements by misrepresenting their purpose. It is not about applauding being overweight, but about accepting body diversity so as not to mark people who do not have a normative size. Respect, no more. Because it is not pleasant at all when people give their opinion about your body without you having asked. “I feel like everyone in America has my name in their mouth for no reason. I’m minding my own fat, black, beautiful business.”Lizzo answered on stage at her last concert in Canada. I limited his comment to that geographical area but, unfortunately, fatphobia is globalized in the world.

The fact is that Lizzo has become a symbol for the two faces of fatphobia, is an example for those who hate and reject being overweight as much as for those who see in it an example of acceptance. In the end, whatever you do with your body gets feedback. If she decides to make a detox plan, they criticize her because she has entered the circle of aesthetic demands. If you decide to love your curves, it is that you make an apology for obesity. But, excuse me, has anyone realized that it is about her body and only she has the power to do, say and give her opinion what she wants about her physique? Meanwhile she keeps sending the same message: “My body, my choice (my body, my choice)”present -even- in their concert performances.

At the MTV Video Music Awards Lizzo already made her intentions clear: “And now, for the bitches who have something to say about me in the press. you know what? I’m not going to say anything”, she commented onstage remembering a similar call from Nicki Minaj at the 2015 VMAs. Both women, by the way. Because when it comes to giving an opinion about the body, it seems that it is easier to do it about them than about them. What if we all take note and do like Lizzo: not say anything (in the sense, not give an opinion about others)? It will be magnificent. Thanks.

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