For those who aren't in the loop, Chris Spagnuolo came under fire after writing an article for Barstool Sports. Barstool Sports is an online sports and men's lifestyle blog that is no stranger to controversy.
Spagnuolo wrote an article titled, "Is Rihanna Going To Make Being Fat the Hot New Trend?" The article has since been removed from the website, and an apology (a disappointing one I may say) was issued by the editor and the author's job is on the line.
It was hard to find an original copy of the article, but for me the internet has a long memory. This guy properly labeled Rihanna as the trendsetting force she is, albeit in a very misogynistic manner. Afterward, he claims Rihanna looks like she's wearing a "sumo suit" and it's "hard to stomach." If that's not gross enough for you he then paints a "dystopian future" where, "all the hottest girls look like the humans in Wall-E."
For the record, here is Rihanna in her alleged sumo suit.
Yeah, seriously.
Why did this guy feel the urge to exaggerate himself out of a job? It all comes down to body shaming.
One thing I noticed browsing the numerous articles on this incident was no one ever used the word fat. Instead, words like "Thicc," "Curvy," "Full-bodied," "Plus-size," were used. Sure, the word "fat" sounds harsh, blunt and conjures up vibes of schoolyard bullying. But why does "skinny" automatically equal good and "fat" equal bad? I guess it's just an evolutionary preference, right? Fat is a signifier of bad health? We're attracted to signs of youth, health, and vitality?
Yes, the risks of heart disease and other complications are well documented with being overweight, but take a look at this graph:
Whaaat? Yes you're looking at it correctly, for a pretty wide margin, being underweight is less healthy than being obese. So if health isn't as drastic of an issue as we thought, what determines physical attraction or repulsion to the thikky thicc girls? The answer may surprise you.
Just kidding, it's totally obvious: personal and societal preference.
Let's take a brief walk through history, so I can show you what I mean.
First, it's pretty common knowledge that throughout many points in history, being fat was a sign of being well-fed and rich, so it was much more desirable than the peasantly skin-and-bones look.
In the modern day, the rules switched: and now obesity has a strong correlation to poverty.
Jumping way ahead, the internet is well familiar with the full-bodied icons of the early 20th century.
The 90s simultaneously brought us heroin chic,
and ushered in the stick thin Supermodel.
While being skinny was the main aesthetic of the past two decades, the hot look of today is health and fitness.
So as you can see, the concept of beauty is dynamic. Rihanna's reaction to this body shaming nonsense brings me to my next point:
Just like society's preferences, our bodies are dynamic and a reflection of our lifestyle.
Many women will fluctuate between thinner and thicker throughout their life depending on what's going on and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.
In fact, this isn't even the first time Rihanna has had to shut down this nonsense. In 2013 she responded to media taunting by dubbing herself Thickanna.
To sum it up, both our bodies and beauty are constantly changing. While being overweight certainly has health risks, so does being underweight. Where should we draw the line between (good) thiCC and (bad) fat? It all depends on the individual.
If your weight is limiting you, either physically or mentally, you're always welcome to change your lifestyle. If you're happy how you are, don't let anyone convince you you aren't good enough! As cliche as it sounds, there is no size limit on beauty. So, let's all follow Rihanna's lead by ignoring the hate and embracing our bodies.