Super Bowl 51. The Super Bowl that broke history – being the first Super Bowl to ever go in overtime. Being the fifth win for Patriot’s Quarterback, Tom Brady. Being the most groundbreaking win after the Patriot’s overcame their odds after being at a 28-point deficit for the entire first half.
If you watched this game, it is likely that you were blessed with being able to watch Lady Gaga’s halftime performance. If you didn’t, it’s likely you have seen all about it all over social media. When I was watching her perform I was blown away by her talent and vocal abilities, but something else was receiving a lot of attention after the performance. Her stomach.
Lady Gaga was body-shamed for days after her Super Bowl Halftime Performance for being “fat” and having a stomach that was too “distracting”. With that being said, let me start by saying, PSA: LADY GAGA IS NOT FAT. By no means is Lady Gaga fat. By no means does she have a body that she should be ashamed of.
Why must we live in a world where it is so important to be so observant of things that are not important, such as her weight? Why is it that she is unbelievably talented and put on a phenomenal show, and all that is on social media is conversation about her stomach? Why must we discuss something that could make her second guess her self-confidence?
We must start focusing on something other than body-shaming other people who do not fit society and the media’s impossible expectations of the “perfect body”. We must stop tearing people down and trying to destroy their self-confidence. Everyone is their own person. Everyone has their own body shape. It is about time we just accept that and move forward. Lady Gaga can be the first, and LAST, victim of unrealistic body expectations for 2017, but how about we leave body shaming in 2016?