Advocates for body positivity and fans of Adele are expressing their frustration after she shared Christmas party pictures—and media outlets focused on her apparent weight loss.
On Monday evening Adele shared some pictures from her Christmas party on Instagram, looking elegant as always in a black satin dress and posing with the Grinch and Santa Claus. “We both tried to ruin Christmas but then both our hearts grew! Thank you for coming to my party and making us feel like kids Grinch 💚,” the singer wrote. “Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone.”
While several outlets noted her ’50s-inspired look with poofy sleeves and wavy hair, others focused on weight loss, using words and phrases like “glam transformation” and “glow up.” Others said she was “flaunting” or “showing off” her weight loss.
Adele shows off glam transformation after whopping three stone weight losshttps://t.co/2Z0jkDPHQ8 pic.twitter.com/0zafaMlY3Y
— Daily Star (@dailystar) December 24, 2019
Adele flaunts HUGE three stone weight loss in stunning satin dress to ring in Christmas with Santa https://t.co/UtkLB6jLeQ
— Daily Mail Celebrity (@DailyMailCeleb) December 23, 2019
For those who have always seen Adele as beautiful, these responses to her Christmas pictures were insulting and condescending.
“Adele was beautiful before. Is beautiful now. Will be beautiful WHATEVERTHEFUCK weight she will be in the future,” said actress Jameela Jamil, who has been outspoken against body shame. “The weight of a global icon trending is a sign there is still work to do in how we value women in 2020. Being thinner doesn’t add to her value.”
PSA: Adele isn't 'flaunting her weight loss', she's just going to a party, k thanks
— Rachel McGrath (@RachelMcGrath) October 25, 2019
https://twitter.com/jameelajamil/status/1209385462005026816?s=20
It’s sad that it takes someone losing weight for y’all to notice their beauty… @Adele has always been stunning but up until now she was just “talented” or “funny”
— Brandon Hilton ⭐️ (@BRANDONHILTON) December 24, 2019
YALL FAKE!
Are you kidding me? Adele would be disgusted at how y’all just suddenly stanning her just because she lost weight, she‘s ALWAYS been powerful https://t.co/cH7JEOELXZ
— k (@taintedavenue) December 24, 2019
Adele’s fashion has long been classic and elegant, which lends extra credence to criticism of those saying she has transformed. Other people contrasted the praise Adele is getting now with the criticism Lizzo has been getting for being positive about her body.
I find it curious that #Adele was NEVER met with the same level of venom & vituperation, regarding her weight, that @lizzo receives. 🧐
— Elgin Charles (@ElginCharles) December 24, 2019
waking up to new tweets critiquing how “unhealthy” lizzo is and praising adele’s “gorgeous” new figure – just say you hate fat women and move on!!
— grace barber-plentie (@gracesimone) December 24, 2019
For Adele fans seeing her name trending on Twitter wasn’t just disappointing because of the fat-shaming; Adele’s last album was released in 2015, and people are eager for new music from the artist. On her birthday this year, she teased her new album, writing on Instagram, “30 will be a drum n bass record to spite you,” and the rumors say a new album is expected this month.
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