Lizzo Calls Out Racist and Fatphobic Comments on 'Rumors' Music Video
The "Truth Hurts" singer got candid about the impact of body-shaming on her mental state.
Since her debut on the music scene, Lizzo has captured fans with her energetic performances and upbeat attitude. For many, her rise to fame seemed exceptional—as a plus-size Black woman, she doesn't follow the strict beauty standards to which so many women (famous or otherwise) are held. In the music video for her song with Cardi B, "Rumors," she maintains the sentiment by rapping about being unapologetically herself. However, some naysayers took to the comments to criticize her body.
On Instagram Live, Lizzo revealed that the negative responses have overwhelmed her, saying, "People who have something mean to say about you, and for the most part it doesn't hurt my feelings, I don't care. I just think when I'm working this hard, my tolerance gets lower, my patience is lower. I'm more sensitive, and it gets to me."
Teary-eyed, the singer went on to explain how the hateful comments about her and her body are both a product of racism and fatphobia.
"It's fatphobic, it's racist, and it's hurtful," she explained. "What I won't accept is y'all doing this to Black women over and over and over again, especially us big Black girls. When we don't fit into the box that you want to put us in, you just unleash hatred onto us. It's not cool. I'm doing this shit for the big Black women in the future who just want to live their lives without being scrutinized or put into boxes."
Later, she reiterated her point on Twitter. "Loving yourself in a world that don't love u back takes an incredible amount of self awareness & a bullshit detector that can see through ass backwards societal standards," she wrote. "If u managed to love yourself today I'm proud of u. If u haven't, I'm still proud of u. This shits hard."
In support of her collaborator, Cardi B also took to Twitter to share her thoughts on modern body standards and the criticism of Black women. "When you stand up for yourself they claim your[sic] problematic & sensitive. When you don't they tear you apart until you crying like this. Whether you skinny, big, plastic, they going to always try to put their insecurities on you. Remember these are nerds looking at the popular table," wrote the rapper.
She continued, "Rumors is doing great. Stop trying to say the song is flopping to dismiss a woman emotions on bullying or acting like they need sympathy. The song is top 10 on all platforms. Body shaming and callin her mammy is mean & racist as fuck."
