By Chloe Morales | Staff Writer

   They are on billboards, in magazines, and on movie screens. There has been an illusion created over time that celebrities are not real people. By disconnecting celebrities from reality, society is quick to judge almost every aspect of their lives— from lifestyle to physical appearance— failing to realize the negative impact this can have on their mental health. 

   The problem with nitpicking someone’s physical appearance is that it is impossible to know what someone is going through in their day-to-day lives, especially celebrities. With the passing of Chadwick Boseman in 2020, the public learned of his silent battle with colon cancer. Boseman lost weight due to cancer, something that people were commenting on without knowing the entire story. 

   Kelly Coffey, a personal trainer, and health coach told Insider, “The fact that Boseman had been criticized for his weight loss speaks to how superficially most people view others when their sole basis for judgment is the images they see online.”

   In fact, Healthypeople.gov shows that weight is not a sole determinant of health, with social factors, health services, individual behavior, biology, and genetics also playing a part in one’s overall health. 

   Singer-songwriter Adele is another celebrity who has faced criticism for her weight. In an Instagram post she shared on her birthday, people flocked to the comments to congratulate her for losing weight, while others, according to TeenVogue, “questioned whether or not Adele was okay, and went as far as to suggest she may be battling an eating disorder.”

   Regardless of whether or not a celebrity is losing or gaining weight in a healthy or unhealthy manner is none of the public’s business. There is no way to know what celebrities go through behind closed doors. 

   Unfortunately, body shaming does not have an age limit. Billie Eilish, who rose to fame when she was only 13 years old, has also faced millions of comments on her body. 

   Known for her signature baggy clothes style, Eilish shocked the public when she posed for British Vogue’s June 2021 cover in a corset. In a 2019 Calvin Klein campaign, Eilish explained, “I mean, that’s why I wear big, baggy clothes; Nobody can have an opinion, because they haven’t seen what’s underneath.”   

   For Eilish, body positivity has been a topic she cares deeply about. In fact, she made a short film titled “Not My Responsibility” in which she recites a poem about her experience with being body shamed. In the end, she said, “Is my value based only on your perception? Or is your opinion of me not my responsibility?”

   This line, along with the entire video is supposed to empower others to ignore the comments that people have on others’ physical appearance. This is something that everyone should practice. 

   Everyone needs to do better in terms of keeping comments to themselves. It is not anyone’s place to talk about how someone looks, even if they are a celebrity.