Lizzo and her fans have responded to a man who said the pop star is only popular “because there is an obesity epidemic in America.”
Dr. Boyce Watkins, a self-described financial scholar and social commentator, body-shamed her on Twitter Friday.
“Rather than encouraging people to do better, we are simply lying to them and telling them that they are just fine the way they are. Unfortunately, many of these people are dying from diabetes and heart disease,” Watkins tweeted.
#Lizzo popular is because there is an obesity epidemic in America. Rather than encouraging people to do better, we are simply lying to them and telling them that they are just fine the way they are.
— Boyce Watkins, PhD – Wealth is Power (@drboycewatkins1) December 20, 2019
Unfortunately, Many of these people are dying from diabetes and heart disease pic.twitter.com/75TY8jJRIX
Watkins continued to come at Lizzo over the next few days, posting derogatory photos, and even likening her to a slave.
Watching #Lizzo dressed in all Gucci on SNL singing about the joys of being fat and raunchy makes me think of slaves performing for massa and his friends on the plantation. “We are here to serve you in every way imaginable. Just keep bringing dem biscuits.”
— Boyce Watkins, PhD – Wealth is Power (@drboycewatkins1) December 22, 2019
Lizzo responded to Watkins on Monday.
“I’m popular because I write good songs and I’m talented and perform high energy hour and a half shows filled with love. The only person who needs to do better is you,” she tweeted. “Keep my name out ya mouth & look in the mirror before you come for me. Here’s the attention you ordered.”
I’m popular because I write good songs and I’m talented and perform high energy hour and a half shows filled with love.
— FOLLOW @YITTY (@lizzo) December 23, 2019
The only person who needs to do better is you.
Keep my name out ya mouth & look in the mirror before you come for me.
Here’s the attention you ordered 😏 https://t.co/zXnOv4f9Dr
Even though Lizzo shut down the body shamer beautifully, fans and body-positive advocates are still rushing to her defense.
“Unless you too can sing, rap and dance simultaneously for an hour straight and still have enough breath control to play a flute then you have no business handwringing over her health. Sis is more fit than most of the folks calling her unhealthy,” Twitter user @xoDrVenture wrote.
I saw Lizzo live in 2017 and unless you too can sing, rap and dance simultaneously for an hour straight and still have enough breath control to play a flute then you have no business handwringing over her health. Sis is more fit than most of the folks calling her unhealthy https://t.co/4C2ejqKfAS
— Cerveza Cristal™ (@xoDrVenture) December 23, 2019
Others pointed out the inherent sexism in Watkins’ attack.
“There was Notorious BIG, Big Pun, Fat Joe, Rick Ross, Dj Khaled…We never heard any one of you musty ass morons blame their popularity on an ‘obesity epidemic’ until a woman came up,” Twitter user @okemzuruoke wrote.
There was Notorious BIG, Big Pun, Fat Joe, Rick Ross, Dj Khaled. . . We never heard any one of you musty ass morons blame their popularity on an “obesity epidemic” until a woman came up. Shut your entire crap up and shove your dick up your ass, stupid. https://t.co/cLb2fySXIL
— ULOMA (@ulxma) December 23, 2019
Fascinating how I never see tweets like these about DJ Khaled. https://t.co/BWeeXGvCSy
— Desmond. (@vincentdesmond_) December 23, 2019
It is an outdated but prevalent misconception that weight is the best indicator of health. Doctors are coming to understand other measures of health can be equally as useful–measures as obscure as walking speed or the number of pushups one can do. And with the rise in popularity and affordability of fast food, people with a normal BMI still face a relatively high risk of heart disease.
This is not the first time Watkins has tweeted about Lizzo. Just the day before, Watkins tweeted, “#Lizzo plays the flute while twerking. Are some #blackwomen volunteering for mammyism?”
Marc Lamont Hill, a professor of media studies and urban education at Temple University, responded to the tweet with some advice for Watkins regarding his uneducated statement.
“This misreading and misunderstanding of the ‘mammy’ reflects a profound lack of knowledge of feminist theory and research. Or just basic Black history. Or actual reading. I’m not throwing shots here, fam. I just wish you read things before you offered thoughts,” Hill wrote.
This misreading and misunderstanding of the “mammy” reflects a profound lack of knowledge of feminist theory and research. Or just basic Black history. Or actual reading. I’m not throwing shots here, fam. I just wish you read things before you offered thoughts. https://t.co/Td5jzyf9sd
— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) December 19, 2019
Watkins responded to Hill, again bringing up Lizzo’s weight.
I don’t consider @marclamonthill to be my enemy. But I’ll admit that his defense of #Lizzo (aka Tiffany Fattish) is confusing. She’s one butter biscuit away from a heart attack. A clown. https://t.co/yQa6iSb8D9
— Boyce Watkins, PhD – Wealth is Power (@drboycewatkins1) December 21, 2019
Hopefully, Watkins will take Lizzo’s advice and “keep my name out ya mouth” so this will be his last tweet about the singer.
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