Singer and LGBT activist Demi Lovato said Sunday in an Instagram post that complimenting someone on their body is “harmful,” even if you have the best intentions.
Lovato argued that the person you’re telling looks thin might have an eating disorder and the compliment could trigger them. So, instead, you should not compliment anyone’s body unless you know their “history with food.” The singer also noted that compliments make her self-consciously think, “What’d they think of my body before?”
“[I don’t know] who needs to hear this but complimenting someone on their weight loss can be as harmful as complementing someone on their weight gain in regards [sic] to talking to someone in recovery from an eating disorder,” she wrote in an Instagram story. “If you don’t know someone’s history with food, please don’t comment on their body. Because even if your intention is pure, it might leave that person awake at 2 a.m. overthinking that statement…”
“Does it feel great? Yeah, sometimes,” Lovato admitted. “But only to the loud a** eating disorder voice inside my head that says ‘See, people like a thinner you’ or ‘If you eat less you’ll lose more weight.’ But it can also sometimes suck because then I start thinking ‘Well, damn. What’d they think of my body before?'”
“Moral of the story: I am more than the shell for my soul that is my body and every day I fight to remind myself of that, so I’m asking you to please not remind me that that is all people see of me sometimes.”
Screenshot: Instagram
Screenshot: Instagram
The performer’s extreme body positivity activism turned heads last month when she publicly lost it on a small frozen yogurt shop for offering sugar-free options to its customers. That Daily Wire reported:
In an Instagram story post, Lovato attacked The Bigg Chill Frozen Yogurt shop in Los Angeles, California, for being alleged “diet vultures.” The store is known for its wide variety of low-fat, sugar-free frozen yogurts and treats. Lovato claims it was “triggering” for her to walk past the sugar-free cookies.
“Finding it extremely hard to order froyo from [The Bigg Chill Frozen Yogurt] when you have to walk past tons of sugar free cookies/other diet foods before you get to the counter,” Lovato said. “Do better please. #DietCultureVultures.”
Last week, the 28-year-old announced that she’s officially changing her pronouns to “they/them” and identifying as “nonbinary.”
The pronouns, she explained in a video posted online, “best represents the fluidity I feel in my gender expression, and allows me to feel most authentic and true to the person I both know I am and still am discovering.”
“Today is a day I’m so happy to share more of my life with you all- I am proud to let you know that I identify as non-binary & will officially be changing my pronouns to they/them moving forward,” Lovato posted in a Twitter thread.
Related: ‘Nonbinary’ Demi Lovato Officially Changes Pronouns: ‘I Came Into My Truth’