Lizzo Opens up About Toxic Beauty Standards, Social Media, and Mental Health
The exuberant 33-year-old singer and rapper, Lizzo, reflects on the toll that social media and its unrealistic standards have taken on her mental health. She spreads body positivity through her Instagram posts and advice on self-love.
Lizzo expresses her confidence through Instagram. She posted a nude photo of herself holding a mug, writing, “Now normally I would fix my belly and smooth my skin but baby I wanted to show u how I do it au natural — I am excited to be partnering with @dove and the #DoveSelfEsteemProject which is helping to reverse the negative effects of social media and changing the conversation about beauty standards. Let’s get real y’all.”
However, the “Good as Hell” singer reveals she hasn’t always been this confident, and still struggles. Lizzo posted an emotional TikTok on May 8 where she tearfully said, “I want to feel like I do have someone to talk to, people do care about me. I have love. I’m not alone. That’s what I want to feel, but I don’t feel like that.”
my baby lizzo 🙁 pic.twitter.com/STDbp8J3x5
— chal (@ethereaIover) May 9, 2021
The Hustlers actress also revealed her struggles regarding mental health and body image in an interview with Elle, saying that “…I used to feel like I was alone in the way that I felt. I felt like, it’s just me who wants to wake up in someone else’s body, a slimmer body. It’s just me who hates myself this much. Or it’s just me who feels a little crappy today. And when you start to feel like you’re alone in it, it makes it worse.”
However, Lizzo realized that social media has allowed her to feel less alone in her struggles. She uses it to put out positive energy and help others feel less alone. The star reflects on how she has worked hard and chose to be better. She says that she feels most beautiful “…When I’m truly naked, truly in myself, when I’m feeling myself in the mirror in the mornings. I’m singing to myself and talking to myself and hyping myself up on my little Afro out.”
The performer stressed the importance of being real and honest, advising people to post more unfiltered selfies with no makeup. She said that working with the Dove Self Esteem Project helped her gain confidence in navigating social media, and so has seeing people who look like her so she can see her own beauty. In addition, the singer touched upon the hardships of being a black woman and feeling surrounded by social media’s beauty standards. She says, “Find you. Find someone that you think is beautiful, but also looks like you, so that you’re not surrounded by the mainstream of society’s beauty standard.”
It’s clear that Lizzo’s Twitter fans are inspired by her body positivity.
Not me getting a thong bottoms bathing suit 🥵…. Lizzo made me do it!
— Carolina Hernandez (@carohxndz) May 8, 2021
Hey @lizzo!
— Valentina (@TinaM1992) May 12, 2021
You are beautiful
You are Smart
You are Kind
Thought you should know 🥰
Lizzo is a positive body positivity role model.
— bbygrrrl—ah. 🦋 (@sideboob_b) May 5, 2021
Lizzo will headline the Firefly Music Festival with Billie Eilish, Tame Impala, and The Killers on September 23 – September 26. Check out her latest positive vibes on her Instagram.
