Lady Gaga's stunning performance at the Super Bowl this year did not go unnoticed. Many people were talking about how talented and poised she was, but some critics focused on the appearance of her body instead. They called her fat and said that her stomach was "flabby" and "too chubby." These body shamers posted their rude comments on social media, where Gaga saw them and decided to speak out. I feel strongly about this topic, so I decided to write a letter to the critics.
Dear Body Shamers,
I just want to remind you that words can hurt. You may have thought you could say whatever you wanted because the world famous singer has enough confidence, and after all, she won't see a tweet from someone like you. But anything that you put online can be seen by anyone, as you probably know now. The singer did in fact see your hurtful words and she didn't admit it, but I am sure they hurt. Since you felt the need to comment about Lady Gaga's body, you've probably made comments on others' bodies as well. Or maybe you're struggling with your own body image. Either way, any decent person knows that it is not right to judge other people based on how they look.
The words were harmful not only for Lady Gaga, but also for other girls who look up to her. Girls who are already self-conscious about their own bodies are likely to become even more insecure when they hear that someone who is at a healthy weight is being labelled "too fat." Girls who struggle with body image are affected by body shamers like you, and this sometimes leads to dangerous thoughts or behaviors. It's comments like this that have embedded themselves in our culture and affected so many women today. You think you're just giving an "opinion," but what right do you have to judge someone else's body? Lady Gaga is not unhealthy or anywhere near too fat, so I think it's best if you just keep quiet on the subject of Gaga's body altogether.
On the subject of body image, I read a statistic recently that reported that 80% of girls say that women in the media make them feel insecure about their bodies. This shows how much the media affects women, and this is why I think it is important for someone like Lady Gaga to speak out about body acceptance. I think all of the body shamers out there need to take to heart Gaga's response to your comments. Gaga said, "I'm proud of my body, and you should be proud of yours too. I could give you a million reasons why you don't need to cater to anyone or anything to succeed. Be you, and be relentlessly you." I hope everyone who commented negatively on Lady Gaga's body come to realize the damage that words can do, and I hope you all recognize the importance of body positivity in today's society.
Sincerely,
Clare
