For some reason, people think that celebrities are fair game for criticism and ridicule. Because we see some stars so often on social media and on our TV screens, it seems people think they actually "know" celebrities like Kourtney Kardashian and Chrissy Teigen — and that they can say anything to them and about them. But there are more than a few celebs who just won't stand for it, especially when it comes to body shamers. Those celebrities have publicly shut down social media critics in the best ways possible: swiftly and directly.
From singer Lizzo to model Gigi Hadid, we have been so impressed by how some celebrities have handled being trolled by body shamers. Nobody deserves to be shamed, criticized, or judged for their body shape, size, or weight, not even celebrities who make a living off of promoting and maintaining a certain image. We're all human and human bodies naturally change over time. The pressure to be perfect is unreal for stars, and we'd love to see even more of them stand up for themselves when critics think they have the right to comment on their bodies.
For now, though, we'll just offer a giant slow clap for the celebs we've already seen shut down body shamers. Keep reading to find out just how the drama went down — and how these stars stood up for themselves.
Camila Cabello
Singer Camila Cabello was recently body shamed when she was spotted out running in leggings and a crop top and some less-than-flattering photos surfaced online. Rather than let the self-consciousness get to her, she posted a hilarious but powerful video on TikTok, shutting down her critics. "Being at war with your body is so last season," she quipped — and we totally agree.
Chrissy Teigen
Influencer, entrepreneur, and former swimsuit model Chrissy Teigen has never been one to keep her opinions to herself on social media. And while lately that's gotten her in a bit of trouble, Chrissy has used her snappy comebacks against body shamers on more than one occasion. In 2019, a Twitter user created a meme mocking her booty (or lack thereof), but Chrissy quickly reminded everyone that she's never had much of a butt and that her husband, John Legend, is just fine with it. In 2020, people once again made fun of her lack of curves, and she responded on Twitter, saying, "I'm happy, John's happy, we all happy and doing a-okay!"
Lizzo
Why anyone would ever come after musician Lizzo with body shaming, we don't know. She's been a body positive activist since before she was even famous. "WELCOME TO TAURUS SEASON. To celebrate I wanna give y'all this unedited selfie. Now normally I would fix my belly and smooth my skin but baby I wanted show u how I do it au natural," she once wrote alongside a nude selfie on Instagram.
Kourtney Kardashian
It's hard to believe anyone could have anything to say about Kourtney Kardashian's trim, fit, and healthy-looking body, but in 2020, her Instagram followers began to accuse her of hiding a pregnancy after seeing her belly in a bikini shot. She was quick to remind them that she's a mom of three and that she actually likes having some extra weight on her body. "This is me when I have a few extra pounds on, and I actually love it. I have given birth three amazing times, and this is the shape of my body," she replied in the comments.
Rihanna
Businesswoman and singer Rihanna's weight fluctuates just like every other woman, and now that she's not on stage much anymore, she's been pretty content with a bit more weight on her gorgeous figure. Some folks can't handle it, though. After a performance at the 2018 Grammys, some viewers suggested she was probably pregnant — and in her signature snarky style, she responded with the above Gucci Mane meme. We are big fans of #thickanna, just sayin'…
Beyoncé
What happened when body shamers came for Queen Bey when she was just 18 years old? She co-wrote and performed a hit song, "Bootylicious," celebrating her curvy figure. "I wrote that because, at the time, I'd gained some weight, and the pressure that people put you under — the pressure to be thin — is unbelievable. I was just 18, and you shouldn't be thinking about that," she told Newsweek in 2002.
Jennifer Lawrence
Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence is another celeb who just doesn't have a filter, and thank goodness for it. She's spoken up about the fact that producers have told her that she was too "fat" and would "get fired" if she didn't lose weight — to which she responded, "If anybody even tries to whisper the word 'diet,' I'm like, 'You can go [expletive] yourself,'" according to the Guardian.
Jameela Jamil
The Good Place actress Jameela Jamil has stood up so aggressively against body shamers that she actually created her own social media platform, i_weigh, to raise awareness, spread her body positivity message, and promote inclusivity and representation. She's spoken out about body shaming on many occasions, but actually doing something about it speaks volumes.
Jennifer Aniston
Beloved actress Jennifer Aniston made it completely official when she hit back at body shamers who've fueled ongoing pregnancy rumors about her for years, writing an opinion piece for HuffPost in which she said: "I'm fed up with the sport-like scrutiny and body shaming that occurs daily under the guise of 'journalism,' the 'First Amendment,' and 'celebrity news.'"
Gigi Hadid
Model and new mom Gigi Hadid has spoken out about how she was bashed for being athletic and muscular at the beginning of her modeling career. She played volleyball competitively prior to becoming a model. Eventually, she got so tired of the criticism and comparisons that she posted the above message on Instagram. "Your mean comments don't make me want to change my body, they don't make me want to say no to the designers who ask me to be in their shows, and they definitely don't change the designers' opinions of me," she wrote.
Selena Gomez
Singer Selena Gomez's body has been through a lot. She had a kidney transplant in 2017, and when fans saw her in a bikini for the first time post-surgery, some were quite unkind, calling her "thick" and saying she looked pregnant. Rather than responding directly, she posted a video from her vacation, along with a caption about people's "obsession with physical perfection," and asserting that she's only concerned with taking care of herself.
Adele
When British singer Adele first started her career in the public eye, she was overweight, but for most fans, her voice and her music were far more important than her size. Of course, though, she's faced her fair share of body shaming. Fed up, she once told 60 Minutes Australia, "It's a little bit annoying that men don't get asked that question as much. But other than that, it seemed to astound people that I was plus size and being successful — that was how I felt."
Gabourey Sidibe
Antebellum star Gabourey Sidibe has always had to deal with awful comments about her appearance, but she takes it in her stride. When people were being rude about how she looked at the 2014 Golden Globes, her snarky response was just the best. "To people making mean comments about my GG pics, I mos def cried about it on that private jet on my way to my dream job last night. #JK," she tweeted.
Jennifer Lopez
It's hard to believe, but yes, even J.Lo has had to face body shamers because God forbid a woman actually be any bigger than a stick figure. Speaking about the earlier years of her career, Jennifer Lopez recalled that she was constantly told to lose weight, but she wasn't having it. "I was like, 'No I don't. If I lose any more weight it won't be me.' You know what I mean?," she told E! in 2016. Now of course, she has some of the most famous curves in the world.
Ashley Graham
Some people just can't fathom the fact that a plus-size woman can actually be healthy and fit, and model Ashley Graham's experiences are proof. She once shared that whenever she posts a workout video, she gets comments from people pointing out that she's still fat and will never be skinny. Eventually, she had enough, and wrote on her Instagram Story: "Just for the record, I workout to: stay healthy, feel good, get rid of jet lag, clear my head, show big girls we can move like the rest of 'em, stay flexible and strong, have more energy. I don't workout to lose weight or my curves, because I love the skin I'm in." Boom!
Tyra Banks
Tabloids thought they were going to have their way with model and TV personality Tyra Banks years ago when she gained some weight, but she was not having it. She went on her daytime talk show and said, "Kiss my fat a–. If I had lower self-esteem, I would probably be starving myself right now. But that's exactly what is happening to other women all over this country," she said in a direct statement to those shaming her.
Kim Kardashian
While some blame Kim Kardashian for today's unrealistic beauty standards, she herself has had to combat body shaming. She gained a lot of weight while pregnant, and both times it took her a while to lose it. She even gets criticized when she's thin, though, in particular for posing nude or nearly nude. "It's 2016. The body shaming and slut shaming — it's like, enough is enough. I will not live my life dictated by the issues you have with my sexuality. You be you, and let me be me," she posted on her now-defunct website.
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga is one of those celebs who seems to constantly be dealing with some sort of criticism. In 2017, she set the record straight for body shamers, though. "I'm proud of my body and you should be proud of yours too. No matter who you are or what you do. I could give you a million reasons why you don't need to cater to anyone or anything to succeed," she wrote on Instagram.
Kristen Bell
Actress Kristen Bell knows where her worth lies, and she made sure everyone else knew it too after her postpartum body was shamed. "I am not a woman whose self-worth comes from her dress size. Comparison is one long, agonizing death and does not interest me at all," she said in an interview with Redbook in 2013. Oh, and she also mentioned that her husband, Dax Shepard, quite liked her with a little more meat on her bones.
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson's body has been extensively scrutinized since we first met her on American Idol, but as she's gotten older, she's had less and less patience for the body shamers. During the Fourth of July in 2017, she tweeted some photos of her celebrations and someone called her "fat" in the comments. Her response, "… and still [expletive] awesome." Need she say more?
Kate Winslet
Kate Winslet made body shamers and bullies look like absolute fools during her WE Day speech in London back in 2017. "They called me Blubber. Teased me for wanting to act. Laughed at me. I wasn't the prettiest. I was even told that I might be lucky in my acting if I was happy to settle for the fat-girl parts. [Casting agents] would say, 'You're just not what we're looking for Kate,'" she explained. "I fought back. I had to ignore the negative comments. I had to believe in myself. I had to choose to rise above it all, and I had to work hard. You have to be indestructible to do what you love, and believe that you are worth it. And sometimes that's the hardest part. You are being your best and you own that. Nobody can take that away from you ever." And boy, has she proven herself. Her message of confidence and strength is the ultimate #micdrop.
