By Olivia Curtis
Cardi B, an American hip-hop artist, is currently under fire for her comments toward the plus-sized community, including responding to an inclusive TikTok influencer, Samyra. Samyra initially spoke out about Cardi’s comments “with the hope of encouraging her to think about the impact of her words on her plus-sized fans,” the influencer wrote on Instagram.
The drama began during a promotional TikTok livestream for Cardi’s upcoming album “Am I The Drama?” where she pokes fun at the 3X-sized shirt selling out quickly.
“The box sets are completely sold out, especially because of you fat f---s,” Cardi said. “You guys are fat as f--k! No Chick-fil-A for y’all. All the 3X sold out in 20 minutes!”
Cardi’s scrutiny of the plus-sized community was called out online by her fans, and she attempted to justify her comments by pointing to the body-shaming she’s received from receiving plastic surgery.
“Don’t call me fat-phobic, y’all, because everybody makes fun of my BBL,” Cardi said. “So, I can body-shame people ‘cause y’all body-shame me.”
Cardi posted a follow-up video, claiming her comments were just a joke, and that she was simply having a “keke” with her fans.
“If I got y'all so upset, here. Here's a cupcake," Cardi said, offering a cupcake to the camera.
The livestream got a lot of attention, including that of one plus-sized influencer, Samyra, who shared her thoughts in a minute-long TikTok video.
"Maybe if you stop using fat people at the expense of jokes, then people wouldn't do the same to your BBL," Samyra said. "No, they shouldn't be making fun of your BBL … But also no, you shouldn't be making fun of fat people."
Samyra received 14,400 likes on her video. Shortly after, Cardi B responded to Samyra, telling her to “shut the f--k up” and to “calm your p---y.”
Following these comments, Samyra faced intense harassment by Cardi’s fans, which caused the influencer to take a lengthy break from social media, sharing a paragraph via Instagram.
"By speaking to me in that way publicly, she once again signaled to millions of people that this kind of language and violence toward fat women is acceptable,” Samyra wrote. “I still stand by everything I said in my video, especially about her being talented and powerful. I truly do wish the best for her."
This kind of body-shaming has become a common occurrence on social media, happening in almost every video. However, body shaming does not just happen to TikTok influencers, but celebrities such as Adele, Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift have all faced negative comments.
One celebrity, Billie Eilish, has faced objectification since entering the music industry at 13 years old.
In her sophomore album “Happier Than Ever,” a song titled “Not My Responsibility" hit the charts, and fans were curious about its origins.
“I never want the world to know everything about me,” Eilish said in a Calvin Klein ad. “I mean, that’s why I wear big, baggy clothes. Nobody can have an opinion because they haven’t seen what’s underneath.”
Body shaming can come in many forms. Recently, singer Ariana Grande joined TikTok to respond to the many people commenting on her weight loss, comparing her to her “Thank U, Next” era.
“I know, for me, the body you’ve been comparing my current body to was the unhealthiest version of my body,” Grande said on TikTok.
“I was on a lot of antidepressants and drinking on them and eating poorly, and at the lowest points of my life when I looked the way you consider my ‘healthy,’” Grande said. “But that, in fact, wasn’t my healthy.”
Body-shaming will always be prominent on social media, but the level of societal pressure women face concerning their bodies or beauty will inevitably lead to an unhealthy standard.
