People Are Body Shaming Rihanna After the Grammys and it Is Not Okay
Although Kesha’s stirring performance of her comeback hit “Praying” may have been the most inspiring of the night, Rihanna’s Grammys performance also sparked conversation. The “Wild Thoughts” songstress returned to the Grammy stage to perform said hit with DJ Khaled and Bryson Tiller, slaying the stage in typical RiRi fashion.
While many viewers vocally expressed their love for every moment of Rihanna’s performance (even turning the Bajan superstar into a gif), some people decided that the singer’s curvier figure proved an ongoing fan theory that she is pregnant. In doing so, these people showed that somehow, in 2018, body shaming is still alive and well, and no one, not even Rihanna, is immune.
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna, Bryson Tiller – "Wild Thoughts" ❤️🔥 #GrammyAwards #mondaymorning #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/XGYaOEp4Mu
— Magaiva (@IAmFoxen) January 29, 2018
Public speculation over Rihanna’s weight is nothing new (and never cool). In October of last year, the 29-year-old singer told The Cut, “I actually have had the pleasure of a fluctuating body type,” which she appears to accept and embrace. In the last year, Rihanna’s bodily fluctuations have earned her the nickname “Thickanna;” while the nickname is generally meant to show appreciation for the singer’s fuller figure, Grammys night’s peanut gallery goes to show how quickly even positive body speculation can take an ugly turn.
Rihanna looks pregnant as hell.
— Spicy Chawclapeppa 💋 (@younotclever) January 29, 2018
Does Rihanna look pregnant?
— B (@BANGThePistol) January 29, 2018
Rihanna looking a little pregnant up on that stage #Grammys2018 pic.twitter.com/fHJ84QleJK
— Lauryn Norton (@laurynnorton) January 29, 2018
While it may not seem like that big of a deal to wonder out loud if someone is pregnant, this is one of the most common forms of body shaming. Debating whether a woman is pregnant is presumptuous and rude, and a good rule of thumb is to not assume a woman is pregnant unless she tells you she is.
Thankfully, the commentary doesn’t seem to bother the Fenty Beauty boss, as she embraces and loves her bod no matter how thick or thin. If only the rest of us could get over it, too.
What do you think of the speculation over Rihanna’s body? Let us know @BritandCo!
(Photos via Kevin Winter/Getty Images for NARAS + Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS)
