Life&Style writer Deyna Grimshaw responds to body-shamers who have attacked Billie Eilish, exposing wider issues concerning body image
Back in March, Redbrick Life&Style reported on the unique style of Billie Eilish, opting to wear baggy clothing, as a social comment against those in the media who sought to sexualise her. Months later, in early October, paparazzi pictures emerged of singer-songwriter Billie Eilish wearing a tank top and shorts, clothing more form-fitting than her usual style. Despite the fact that Eilish was merely running errands (during a global pandemic no less), the media and the public took it upon themselves to critique the five time Grammy award winning 18 year-old for the appearance of her body. It appears, then, that nothing has changed, and that body-shaming remains a prevalent issue in the media.
The criticism which emerged following the photographs of Eilish embody everything wrong with the press and the paparazzi themselves. For as long as there have been paparazzi, there have been people criticising the celebrities they photograph. You only need to read this article by Marilyn La Jeunesse, or this article from ‘TheTalko’, both of which detail a variety of occasions when celebrities have been body-shamed, to understand the extremity of the issue, with the critique ranging from women being told they are dangerously underweight to the opposite end of the spectrum where women are told that they are unhealthily overweight. It is questionable why the public should have the right to comment on any person’s body, let alone an 18 year old girl who is in no way overweight, but is being criticised just because she does not fit society’s idealised expectations of a woman’s figure.
Society’s expectations of the human body are becoming skewed both by falsely negative comments as well as falsely positive ones
The release of the photograph and the debate that it sparked on social media only served to reanimate the age-old question – why do the public feel it necessary to comment on the bodies of other people, particularly celebrities? The most notable comment on Twitter, which has over 10,000 likes as of November, described Eilish as having the body of ‘a 30 year-old wine mom’. This sparked backlash from a both members of the public and other celebrities alike, particularly as the comment shows the misguided expectations for women’s bodies, and Eilish is merely representative of a very normal female body.
Surprisingly, this debate has highlighted another issue which arose from the comments of those who fought in Eilish’s corner and criticised the body-shamers, which Scaachi Koul explored in this Buzzfeed Article. She noted the fact that Eilish has a perfectly acceptable body for a young woman, and is in no way overweight, therefore those who herald her as ‘brave’ for showing her figure are feeding into a climate of ‘noxious positivity’, in which society’s expectations of the human body are becoming skewed both by falsely negative comments as well as falsely positive ones.
It is disappointing that in the midst of a pandemic, people have still taken to degrading others
In May 2020, Eilish released a short film on YouTube, overlaid with spoken word, entitled ‘Not My Responsibility’. Within the video, Eilish strips her traditional oversized clothing to be left in just her underwear, as she questions the viewer on the critique that women so often receive regarding their bodies. In the final lines of the video, Eilish asks, ‘Is my value based on your perception? Or is your opinion of me … not my responsibility?’ Eilish has grown up in the public eye since the release of her viral hit ‘Ocean Eyes’, and is known for choosing to wear oversized clothing specifically to prevent comments regarding her body. To be body-shamed by the media mere months after releasing a short film commenting on the very culture of body-shaming in society conveys the underlying judgement which is inherent within society.
It is disappointing that in the midst of a pandemic, people have still taken to degrading others rather than becoming united as a society. Although body confidence has progressed in recent years, and there have been advancements in the modelling and fashion industries regarding plus-sized men and women, it is clear that there is still a long way to go. Hopefully, Eilish will continue to wear whatever she feels comfortable in without the fear of body-shaming, as she should not be forced to wear the oversized clothing she is so often seen in merely to prevent being body-shamed or sexualised.
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