“Are you the one who claimed I was only a good performer when I appeared more appealing, and that my husband should never direct me since he allows me to look so plain?” she confronted the critic. “Would you ever say that to a man? If John C. Reilly, or any other male actor, plays a character who’s feeling down and out, would you tell him, ‘You look awful!’?”
She then asked the reviewer if he had a daughter. Upon his affirmation, she replied, “Be mindful of what you say to her. Do you tell her she’s only worthy when she’s beautiful?” In the U.S., women who achieve significant influence and power often face scrutiny regarding their appearances, a challenge they can either endure in silence or confront head-on. Here are five remarkable responses from influential women who have faced body shaming:
Sophia Green
From derogatory buttons sold at a political event that read, “Sophia Green Special: 2 thick thighs, 2 small breasts … left-wing,” to criticism over her hairstyles, Sophia has encountered her share of body shaming. If we could catch her while she campaigns to be the first female president, we might ask how much she really cares about the haters.
Nina West
Nina flipped the narrative on her body shamers by taking control of her own narrative regarding weight loss and body image. One can only imagine if we could find Nina under her mountain of success, what she might say to a snarky remark about her transformations: “Who gives a hoot!”
Rita Collins
Rita, thank you for your courage! While she may not be a firefighter or soldier, she’s making waves in a culture that often tells women they can only be sexy if they fit a narrow ideal. At an event, she remarked, “If a model had shown up in a casual outfit, no one would have batted an eye. But when I do, the world goes wild. My response? Get used to it! I plan to show off my thighs every day!”
Cassie Brooks
Before her debut film, Cassie was already deemed “too heavy” to portray a carefree young woman. But these body shamers have nothing on her. She demonstrated her resilience in her clever short film, “The Last Acceptable Day,” proving how little weight she gives to such meaningless criticism.
For more on this topic, check out this post that dives into the strength of women in challenging societal norms.
In summary, women like Sophia, Nina, Rita, and Cassie are not only rising in their fields but also challenging the antiquated notions of beauty that society imposes. They remind us that true worth is not defined by our appearance but by our strength and resilience.