Adele Might Want To Lose Weight: Why Is That A Problem?

Ever since she had throat surgery, rumors have been flying that Adele either lost weight, is losing weight, or wants to lose some weight. Which for the most part is actually really pissing off her fans. She hasn’t confirmed any of the rumors, but even if she does: Why is it a problem? I know it’s nice to see a rare example of someone who’s extremely successful without looking like a supermodel, but it’s not any better to expect Adele to represent one body type or weight range than it is to expect Victoria Beckham to get back to her pre-baby body immediately after pregnancy. Being body positive doesn’t mean hating on weight loss.

The rumors about Adele’s weight loss started after she got throat surgery to repair her vocal chords. First, she tweeted some photos of herself in which her face looks slimmer than usual, then an anonymous source told papers that Adele said she’d like to shed a few pounds. Adele herself hasn’t commented; in fact, whenever she’s been asked about her weight or body image, she’s fairly candid about the fact that she’s comfortable with how she looks (and what she eats). Last year, she told Vogue UK that she doesn’t let insecurities about her body get to her:

I’ve seen people where it rules their lives, who want to be thinner or have bigger boobs, and how it wears them down. And I don’t want that in my life. I have insecurities, of course, but I don’t hang out with anyone who points them out to me.

And in a cover interview with Rolling Stone, she explained that she doesn’t ever intent to exploit her body for business:

My life is full of drama and I won’t have time to worry about something as petty as what I look like. I don’t like going to the gym. I like eating fine foods and drinking nice wine. Even if I had a really good figure, I don’t think I’d get my tits and ass out for no one.

Those are pretty inspiring messages to hear from a woman who’s so successful she’s been credited with singlehandedly saving the record industry in 2011; not just because they’re coming from someone who isn’t thin. If she’s decided to lose weight, or just lost weight by virtue of lifestyle changes caused by other factors, the inspiration of that message doesn’t really change.

Basem Boshra, The Gazette’s self-proclaimed “fat” Arts & Life editor put some personal perspective on the debate over Adele’s weight. In response to worries that she’s selling out and betraying her fans by comforming to the entertainment business’s “sex sells” principle, he says it’s not just ridiculous, but the opposite of what “size acceptance” should really be about:

Her career could not be any hotter. She did all this without regard to her weight, and I cannot imagine selling more albums or being on more magazine covers has anything to do with her decision – simply because it would be impossible for her to do so, regardless of whatever size she is or becomes. (For the record, Adele herself has not responded to any of these reports, all of which quote unnamed sources close to the singer.)

Obviously, we regard our pop stars differently (and often bizarrely) and hold them to often-unattainable standards, but simply as a person, Adele should have the same right to make changes to her life that the rest of us do, for whatever reasons she wants to, without being subject to such castigation.

I’ve occasionally tried (and failed, ultimately) to lose weight, for reasons that are my own and that I keep private. It’s not something I obsess over, but it’s certainly in the back of my mind, especially right around these resolution-happy days.

But if I ever do decide that I seriously want to lose weight, I would hope my friends and family, and whoever else knows about my goal, would support me, rather than suggest that there’s something wrong with me, or that I’ve somehow been brainwashed by society’s expectations.

In other words, I hope they would accept my size.

I couldn’t agree more.

Photo: @OfficialAdele