by As a lifelong fan of Cardi B, I was saddened but not surprised to hear her open up about the serious impact body-shaming has had on her mental health. Cardi has always exuded confidence, but in her recent interview, she gave us a glimpse behind the curtain, revealing that even the most successful stars struggle under the intense scrutiny about their bodies.
Cardi’s story is one that will resonate with women everywhere. She described noticing negative comments about her curvy figure as far back as her teenage years. This criticizm only amplified as her star rose and she came under the merciless gaze of tabloids and social media trolls. She shared that she’s been labeled “fat,” “ugly,” even “disgusting” – harsh words that have understandably taken a toll on her self-esteem.
In the interview, Cardi admitted to struggling with anxiety, depression, and having times where she couldn’t even look at herself in the mirror due to shame about her body. My heart broke hearing the superstar I’ve looked up to for years describe these intensely personal struggles. It just goes to show that even the most successful among us are not immune to the immense damage words can inflict on our mental health.
But even in her vulnerability, Cardi’s inner strength shone through. She made it clear she refuses to let the body-shamers win, declaring that she’s learned to accept and love her body. Her message to young girls and women is that we are all enough as we are. I sincerely hope Cardi knows that she is enough too – more than enough.
As Cardi’s fan, I am endlessly inspired by her talent, determination, and willingness to speak openly about her mental health journey. She gives a voice to so many who suffer silently under the expectations of how a woman “should” look. I hope by raising awareness of how deeply words can wound us, Cardi makes the world a little safer for the next generation of women rising through the ranks.
Cardi’s story has made me reflect on how insidious body-shaming is in our culture. It’s high time we retired the idea that commenting on others’ bodies is remotely acceptable. I firmly believe we need to stop policing women’s figures altogether and celebrate the diversity of beauty that exists in the world.
Here are some thoughts on how we can work to combat body-shaming on both a societal and individual level:
Societally, we desperately need more representation of diverse bodies across all media, including movies, TV, magazines and advertising. For too long, we’ve normalized the ultra-thin body type and made anyone who doesn’t conform feel “othered.” Seeing women of all shapes celebrated will go a long way towards destroying the toxic paradigm that thinner is inherently better.
Policy-wise, I believe we need stronger regulations around photoshopping and airbrushing images. It creates an unrealistic and unachievable standard when magazine covers showcase doctored bodies. Let’s push media to be more transparent about the manipulations used in photographs so girls understand these “perfect” bodies are fantasy, not reality.
On an individual level, we can make a huge impact through our interpersonal relationships. I plan to take more care in how I talk about bodies in general, avoiding language that frames any shape as superior. I will also be more conscious of not just complimenting women about their looks, but about their talents and character.
When it comes to my own mental health, Cardi’s wisdom motivates me to drown out the shallow voices obsessed with appearances. I want to be defined by my inner strength, my passions and my capacity for joy – not by my dress size. I aim to cultivate self-love and block out toxicity from trolls who try to diminish my self-worth.
The road to widespread acceptance will not be easy, but Cardi’s courage gives me hope. I’m so proud of her for using her immense platform to spread a vital message of self-love and to remind women everywhere of our fundamental worth. We are not defined by our stretch marks, cellulite or any other natural part of being in a female body. As Cardi so eloquently put it, we are enough.
