Celebrity
Lizzo Responds to a Body Shamer Attributing Her Popularity to the 'Obesity Epidemic'
24 December 2019
Lizzo has responded to a body shaming tweet by social commentator Dr. Boyce Watkins, in which he argued she was only popular because of America's "obesity epidemic."
It all started this past weekend when Watkins' gross take on Lizzo's success went viral. On Friday, Watkins began by alluding that Lizzo is a symptom of Americans' denial, as "rather than encouraging people to do better, we are simply lying to them and telling them that they are just fine the way they are."
Then, on Sunday, Watkins followed up with another insulting "critique" of her SNL performance from the night before, writing that watching her sing "about the joys of being fat and raunchy makes me think of slaves performing for massa and his friends on the plantation."
#Lizzo popular is because there is an obesity epidemic in America. Rather than encouraging people to do better, we are simply lying to them and telling them that they are just fine the way they are.
— Dr Boyce Watkins (@drboycewatkins1) December 20, 2019
Unfortunately, Many of these people are dying from diabetes and heart disease pic.twitter.com/75TY8jJRIX
Watching #Lizzo dressed in all Gucci on SNL singing about the joys of being fat and raunchy makes me think of slaves performing for massa and his friends on the plantation. “We are here to serve you in every way imaginable. Just keep bringing dem biscuits.”
— Dr Boyce Watkins (@drboycewatkins1) December 22, 2019
That said, it didn't take long for Watkins' tweet set off some serious discourse about body shaming double standards. After all, as many fans pointed out, no one would ever say the same thing about male artists like DJ Khaled or Rick Ross.
Fascinating how I never see tweets like these about DJ Khaled. https://t.co/BWeeXGvCSy
— Baby Gay (@vincentdesmond_) December 23, 2019
Lizzo performs. She sings, dances and has energy on a stage.
— AbnormalNerd (@KatCantAnymore) December 23, 2019
DJ Khaled just walks around and throws his hands up.
Black women have to be thin and perfect to get the same respect a fat black man gets for doing the bare minimum. Ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/Gx9QCnes58
But by Monday, the discussion had gotten to the point where Lizzo herself felt the need to shut Watkins down with some hard and fast facts, writing, "I'm popular because I write good songs and I'm talented and perform high energy hour and a half shows filled with love."
"The only person who needs to do better is you. Keep my name out ya mouth & look in the mirror before you come for me," she continued, before giving Watkins a taste of his own medicine. "Here's the attention you ordered."
I’m popular because I write good songs and I’m talented and perform high energy hour and a half shows filled with love.
— Feelin Good As Hell (@lizzo) December 23, 2019
The only person who needs to do better is you.
Keep my name out ya mouth & look in the mirror before you come for me.
Here’s the attention you ordered 😏 https://t.co/zXnOv4f9Dr
And she didn't stop there. After responding directly to Watkins, Lizzo also ended up retweeting a post from Bernice King about letting the "provocateurs leave empty handed," alongside a tweet about how "Good as Hell" had just hit #1 on the US iTunes chart. You know, just to further prove her point.
If I responded angrily to every person who seeks to provoke anger from me on social media, I’d never experience peace, purpose or progress.
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) December 23, 2019
Be a good steward of your energy.
It’s okay to let provocateurs leave empty handed.
Still we rise 🙏🏾 https://t.co/5K9eUxRaCW
— Feelin Good As Hell (@lizzo) December 23, 2019
Needless to say, Lizzo definitely got the last laugh with this one.
Photo via Getty