Lizzo swimsuit videos removed by TikTok, star claims app is 'fatshaming' her
Singer and multiple Grammy-winner Lizzo has slammed TikTok for taking down videos of her in a bathing suit while leaving videos of other girls in bathing suits untouched.
In the video, Lizzo can be seen lipsyncing to fellow TikTok user erin_mcmillen's 'iknowiknowiknowiknow' as text flashes on the screen that reads, "Tiktok keeps taking down my videos with me in my bathing suits / But allows other videos with girls in bathing suits / I wonder why? / Tiktok... we need to talk."
The singer has been known to enjoy wearing skimpy clothing, both in her personal life as well as during her performances on stage. She is a proponent for body positivity, a movement that believes all people deserve to feel good about their bodies regardless of what society deems as 'ideal'. The movement has gained momentum in recent years, promoting self-love and acceptance and challenging how we view bodies — especially larger ones.
Singers like Lizzo have proven time and time again that you can love your body even in the face of sexism and fatphobia. Lizzo has become a source of inspiration to many women and girls due to the unapologetic way in which she flaunts how much she loves her own body, despite what haters say. Her journey is even more poignant when one learns that she battled self-esteem issues and body dysmorphia to get to a space where she could finally love herself the way she is.
"I thought the friend I used to perform with was the more special one 'cause she was thinner than me," says the singer. "I've come to terms with body dysmorphia and evolved."
Lizzo added, "I don't think I'm any different than any of the other great women who've come before me that had to literally be politicized just to be sexual... you know what I mean? Just to exist." She said this while highlighting the issue of how women in the entertainment industry are not allowed to have agency when it comes to their own sexuality.
The singer has now thrown some shade at TikTok by posting a video demanding to know why they keep taking down videos of her in her bathing suit while leaving videos of other women up.
The platform's community guidelines explicitly prohibit pornography but make no mention of things like bathing suits. The video-sharing service has previously placed user Charli D'Amerlio's bikini dance clip on its trending list. D'Amerlio, it should be noted, is a much lighter-skinned and skinnier person who frequently posts videos of herself in a bikini but appears to face no issues, making us all ask the same question as Lizzo does in her TikTok video — "I wonder why?"
TikTok has not responded to Lizzo's callout yet and fans are already singing her praises for standing up to them. One user commented on her video saying, "Because you’re glowing queen and people can’t handle it," while another said, “Oh wow! Wouldn't think they'd pull videos from stars. Disappointing. I do hope they talk to you." Some users expressed solidarity with the singer, saying, "It happens to me too!!! CURVY GIRL PROBLEMS..."
Unfortunately, many users took to fat-shaming the singer such as this tweet which includes a picture saying "F*ck them fat b*tches", which is precisely what she was calling the video sharing platform out for. Seems like the irony was lost on some.