Stop Policing Ariana Grande’s Body

By Rachel Zhang

Ariana Grande has recently been the center of media attention, with her fans and critics scrutinizing her body conditions. Many other celebrities have also faced such “concerns”, telling their fans to stop commenting on other’s personal life. Their fans should learn to respect others’ boundaries and stop commenting on other’s own personal content—and here’s why.

Public views on Ariana’s health are divided into two main categories. A large portion of her fans are expressing their concerns, saying that she looks too thin compared to her past appearances. Many fear that she has eating disorders or other health issues, phrasing their opinions in a compassionate way. Meanwhile, some others harshly shame Ariana’s body and argue online with those who protect Ariana’s privacy. However, it is almost impossible to determine whether someone is healthy or not simply by looking at them. Public assumptions on someone’s weight can cause negative impacts on mental health and their self-esteem.

Ariana Grande urges her fans to keep their opinions to themselves and not go into other people’s business. In 2023, Ariana Grande said, “The body that you’ve been comparing my current body to was the unhealthiest version.” She explained that when she was the weight that many fans considered “healthy,” she was actually at the lowest point of her life. This shows fans how dangerous public scrutiny can be. It is bad to assume something about someone before you know their full story. Additionally, recently, Ariana has gained even more popularity. She earned her first Academy Award nomination for “Wicked,” hosted “Saturday Night Live” twice, released an album and embarked on an arena tour. Then, on Sunday, a representative for Grande announced that after her tour, Grande would be taking a break from the public due to the ongoing scrutiny. During a tour stop at Chicago, Ariana said as the crowd erupted in cheers, “Yes, boundaries need to be set. Human beings sometimes need a break.”

Ariana Grande isn’t the only celebrity who has faced public scrutiny; many others share this pressurizing experience. Other celebrities include Fiona Apple, Doja Cat, and Chappell Roan. Apple once stated, “I’m healthy and I shouldn’t even have to say any of that. What makes me unhealthy and puts me in danger is that kind of scrutiny itself.” They all have once experienced the tension from their fans and health concerns. Now, many celebrities have tried to maintain boundaries from their kind but sometimes obsessive fans.

Ultimately, the negative impacts public scrutiny causes on mental health, self-esteem, and online culture should tell the fans to think about how their comments can hurt other’s feelings before posting it. In order to truly show people that we care, we must learn how to respect others’ personal boundaries.