Despite it being 2023, there are still people out there who think it's okay to criticise other people's bodies – especially those of famous women. Nowhere is this more true than on social media, where anyone can take a crack at how someone else looks.
But times are changing. More people in the spotlight than ever are calling out the body shaming they and others experience, helping to remind everyone that there's never an excuse for shaming someone for their appearance.
Here are 16 times celebs and influencers called out body shaming – of either themselves or other celebs...
1. Recently, people have been flooding Ariana Grande's Instagram comments with concerns about her thinness, with a number of viral TikTok's made in a similar vein. This was so ubiquitous, that the star was forced to address the body shaming speculation. "I think we should be gentler and less comfortable commenting on people's bodies, no matter what", she said in a TikTok.
2. After her wedding in 2021, Lena Dunham shared on Instagram that she'd taken "a peek" at comments on social and "seen some gnarly s**t". "Most [are] not worth responding to or even sharing with you. But one narrative I take issue with [...] is that I should somehow be ashamed because my body has changed since I was last on television."
3. This month, Lizzo was body shamed by a particularly vicious troll, but sparked praise after she delivered the perfect one-word comeback. In a now deleted tweet, the troll posted a snap of herself, a thin white woman, next to Lizzo sipping from a mug in the nude, and asked – "Me or Lizzo?" The "Good As Hell" singer's response... "Lizzo".
4. After Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan attended the 2020 Golden Globes in a beautiful yellow tulle gown and a black cardigan, Amanda Richards, host of The Big Calf Podcast, tweeted a disparaging remark about "the fat girl from Bridgerton".
5. This year, Halle Berry had to hit back at trolls who said she "should be chilling with the grandkids" after she posted a picture of her posing naked on a balcony – all because the actress is over 50. In response, Halle simply changed the Instagram caption to, "i do what i wanna do".
6. In 2018, rumours began circulating that Riverdale star Lili Reinhart was pregnant after a picture of her with her then boyfriend (and co-star) Cole Sprouse appeared online. "It's unfortunate that one unflattering photo of my stomach circulating the internet causes hundreds of people to think that I'm pregnant", replied Lili.
7. Speculating about whether celebs are pregnant or not is something the internet unfortunately has a fondness for, as shown when body shamers on Twitter insisted Rihanna had to have been "pregnant" following her 2018 Grammy Award performance.
8. Jennifer Aniston has experienced so many unprovoked pregnancy rumours it's hard to keep track. In 2016, she responded to by writing an essay for HuffPost titled "For The Record." The actor said, "for the record, I am not pregnant. What I am is fed up."
9. After experiencing post-pregnancy weight shaming in 2013, Kristen Bell had a few choice words: "I am not a woman whose self-worth comes from her dress size... Comparison is one long, agonising death and does not interest me at all", she said in an interview with Redbook.
10. HBO's The Last Of Us has proven hugely popular, but one viewer – Adrianne Curry – decided to respond to the apocalyptic series with a body shaming tweet about Melanie Lynskey's role as Kathleen. "Her body says life of luxury… not post apocolyptic [sic] warlord. Where is Linda Hamilton when you need her?"
11. You'd think if there was one person who deserved nothing but kindness, it would be Britney Spears, but the singer shared that she had been left in tears after a personal trainer pinched her stomach and legs and told her to get her younger body back. In response, Britney shared a video of her joyfully dancing on social.
12. Selena Gomez – who suffers from Lupus – has struggled with negative comments from body shamers for years, and recently opened up that she has "lied" in the past about it not affected her. The singer admitted that she would be in her room "crying [her] eyes out", on the Apple TV+ docuseries "Dear…".
13. A 2021 tweet from Charlie Puth was testament to the fact that it's not just women who can be subject to body shaming. "Hey just a very quick reminder that it's not cool to body shame anyone", said the singer. "Not entirely sure what the purpose of it is. Sorry I don’t have an 8 pack like damn......"
14. In a 2023 interview with The Sunday Times, Sam Smith talked about their experience with body dysmorphia while dealing with public's opinion, which has been particularly vitriolic in recent years. "Within my industry there is definitely that question of, 'What should a pop star look like?'"
15. After appearing at the 2023 Grammys as a presenter, Madonna was subject to a barrage of online trolling. Unsurprisingly, she didn't hold back about how she felt about the abuse. "Once again I am caught in the glare of ageism and misogyny that permeates the world we live in", she wrote in an Instagram caption.
16. And finally, here's Precious star Gabourey Sidibe’s epic takedown of trolls after her appearance at the 2014 Golden Globes awards... "To people making mean comments about my GG pics, I [most definitely] cried about it on that private jet on my way to my dream job last night. #JK."
