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Many is the time Jennifer Lawrence has been caught saying awesome things about the media, body image, and her negative experiences being pressured to lose weight in order to get or keep roles. But Lawrence’s recent interview with Barbara Walters may have upped the ante, possibily signaling that cultural attitudes about weight and body shaming are shifting.
Lawrence hasn’t changed her tune — she’s essentially making the same great points she always has — but she continues to speak strongly and specifically about how young girls learn to use fat-shaming to humiliate one another. Given that so many of her messages have gone viral, she could make real inroads when it comes to weight stigma and the standard of beauty.
Research suggests celebrities’ opinions go a long way toward influencing young people’s behaviors and attitudes. And although these surveys looked at political opinions and consumer behavior, we think it’s reasonable to hope that when someone as epically popular as Jennifer Lawrence speaks up repeatedly, young people will listen, and, hopefully, attitudes will shift.
Do you think Jennifer Lawrence’s remarks could help end fat shaming? Get in touch with the author at @sallyt.
