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I’d Like to See a Demure, Feminine Lizzo
Someone who’s allowed to be big and black without also being bold and brazen
Unless you live under a rock you know Lizzo is the bold, talented, beautiful singer who took 2019 by storm.
Lizzo is a bastion of confidence and body positivity that gives a big screw you to those who think she’s too fat, too black and too much.
But…
I need a demure version of Lizzo
I need to see representations of black, fat women who are feminine, demure and soft.
I’d need to see a big, black girl whose beauty is allowed to be quiet and serious. Like Lupita or Natalie Portman or Charlize Theron. But big. And black.
I need a big, black girl who is not always “too much” or “over the top.”
The way I see it, Lizzo is sort of like a Pride Parade. A loud, colorful, totally unapologetic representation of who she is. Which is both great and necessary.
But, I want to see a fat, black woman who is like the nice family next door with two dads, a kid and a dog.
Someone who is allowed to be as poised, serious and classy as she wants to be. A woman who is the soft, femme dream girl — not the loud, sassy girlfriend.
After Lizzo’s recent Twerkgate scandal, I’ve heard opinions on both sides of the issue. Some say her impromptu shaking of her thong-clad behind was tacky and trashy. “What about the kids?” they ask.
And of course, there are others who are on Team Lizzo, defending her right to show off her body, display joy and take up space. They say she’s getting a strong backlash because of her race and body size.
As I thought about my own opinion, I was torn. On one hand, I give a giant eye roll to the types of haters that are disingenuously citing the NBA’s status as a family-friendly source of entertainment as the problem. The faux concern for “the kids” is to mask their own dislike for Lizzo’s unapologetic nature.
But on the other hand, I just can’t relate to someone who wants to wear their bare ass all out of context. I’d never do it. Most women wouldn’t. For me, that’s just not…
