After Ronda Rousey, Selena Gomez, and Vin Diesel have all been hit recently with body shaming statements from either fans or the media at large, it is time to speak out. As "civilians" -- members of the public at large, rather than the celebrity elite -- we are told one facet of the lives of the celebrities we so avidly follow. Body shaming is done to diminish the power of those who are frequently envied or otherwise held to a higher standard, and it needs to stop.
Selena Gomez, for instance, reported that while she was undergoing chemotherapy to treat lupus, she was made to feel as though she was quite unattractive. Gomez is an actress and singer in her early 20s, and she was undergoing serious treatment for a serious autoimmune disorder. While much about Gomez' condition was kept very low key, Gomez reported to several media sources that she was incredibly hurt by the comments she was hit by during her break from the industry.
"I wanted so badly to say, 'You guys have no idea. I'm in chemotherapy. You're a–-holes.' I locked myself away until I was confident and comfortable again," she said, according to CBC.
Lupus is a chronic and inflammatory autoimmune condition that sees an individual's immune system attacking its own healthy tissues and organs. Seal and Toni Braxton are two other celebrities who endured undue attention as a result of a lupus diagnosis. Gomez eventually had counselling to deal with body shaming statements that she endured, and says she maintains further good health through diet, routine exercise, and medication, according to Elle.
Rousey is on top of the women's MMA heap, thanks to her continued reign as the UFC's Women's Bantamweight Champion. Her last four fights have lasted a total of 130 seconds, yet she has also been plagued by statements that are all about body shaming. Rousey has made no secret of the fact that when she is not getting ready for a fight, her weight can hover anywhere between 135 and 150 pounds. Statements about how proud she is of her body -- that each muscle serves a particular purpose -- have featured prominently in interviews, yet she still has had to deal with comments that she is somehow fat.
There are many people -- men and women alike -- who admire Rousey for what she has been able to do thus far in her UFC tenure.
