Photos of 8 time Grammy award winning artist, Harvard Humanitarian of the Year honouree, and multitalented Rihanna were recently released showing off a fuller figure and a more rounded face.
The release of these photos prompted a Twitter account run by a white male to ask if “Rihanna [was] going to make being fat the hot new trend.”
Is Rihanna going to make being fat the hot new trend? https://t.co/DnFdi9AZy3 pic.twitter.com/r6jed6wRiQ
— Chris Spags (@ChrisSpags) May 30, 2017
In response, many questioned if Rihanna was pregnant, while others simply assumed she was eating good and getting thicker because as Rihanna has previously mentioned, she doesn’t like getting too thin.
Regardless of the reason, there is absolutely no harm in Rihanna gaining weight especially if she’s simply eating good. Women, especially women in the limelight, are constantly being scrutinized for their bodies and for their looks as they are expected to maintain an almost impossible standard to please the heads of the industries they’re in.
Furthermore, fat shaming Rihanna pushes forward the message that being a plus-sized woman is unattractive and undesirable. The idea that Rihanna can’t gain weight because it makes her less attractive is offensive and insulting to a large population of women all across America considering studies found that the average American woman is a size 16.
The fact that Rihanna’s weight gain is even making headlines shows us just how obsessed society is with a woman’s body even if it’s not affecting them. The Barbadian native has showed us countless times that she couldn’t care less about people’s opinions and that she’s going to do whatever she pleases, so why are people even bothering?
Many took to Twitter to express their disdain for her weight gain, including going as far as attacking her other talents regardless of the fact that there was no correlation.
All I'm saying is, Rihanna already can't sing and dance. How is she gonna model if she's fat?
— lexie (@lexiebreona) May 29, 2017
https://twitter.com/jiminparktrbl/status/869272196409176064
Me and Rih were supposed to be in this together. Now that I've slimmed down, she wants to be fat. Smh
— lexie (@lexiebreona) May 29, 2017
@coajnr1 is it just me or is Rihanna getting fat
— Eniola (@Enniboi1) May 29, 2017
Additionally, it’s a well known fact that women of colour have always had it bad when it comes to body image as they are constantly being mocked for their bodacious curves even though there’s nothing they can do about it, not that they should have to anyway. Rihanna is a young, black queen trying to prosper and live her life – whether or not she gains weight doesn’t change the fact that is talented, beautiful and an excellent humanitarian.
It’s also important to remember that if Rihanna really is pregnant, it’s none of your business because assuming she’s pregnant is the same thing as calling her fat. She hasn’t come out and said it herself so it’s a discussion that shouldn’t be held.
All in all, Rihanna can gain as much weight as she pleases, as long as she’s healthy, she can do her thing and so can you. In a time where white men and bitter women spew out their disgusting, fat-shaming comments, please remember that being a plus-size girl (or boy) doesn’t make you any less attractive than the size 0 girl next to you. Women (and men) of all sizes rejoice!
