Lizzo took direct aim at body shamers Thursday after a viral fat joke about her appearance made the rounds online, posting a pointed Instagram message telling critics to back off.
The chart-topping singer didn’t hold back in her caption, writing, “Because when you’re big they talk sht, when you’re small they talk sht. Your body will never be good enough for them because it’s not FOR them. It’s for you.” She capped it off with a jab at her detractors: “I stays living with a paid off mortgage in yall b*tches heads.”
Her post came just weeks after she opened up about a deep mental health crisis in a November Substack essay.
In the piece titled Why is everybody losing weight and what do we do?, Lizzo revealed that washe “became deeply suicidal” in late 2023 following a lawsuit filed by former dancers. “I had been the subject of a vicious scandal, and it felt like the whole world turned its back on me,” she wrote.
The lawsuit, which accused her of harassment and toxic workplace behavior, coincided with a wave of online criticism that pushed her to isolate and cut off close relationships.
She said she felt unable to defend herself publicly while navigating the legal fallout. This isn’t the first time Lizzo has confronted public scrutiny over her body.
@lizzo Get cozy and get some @YITTY ♬ Beans Greens Potatoes (Remix) – DJ Suede The Remix God & Windsor Jones
In May 2023, she clapped back at a tweet mocking her weight during a performance, saying the constant judgment made her “hate the world” and consider quitting music altogether.
“I’m not trying to BE fat. I’m not trying to BE smaller. I’m literally just trying to live and be healthy,” she wrote at the time.
Back in August 2021, she broke down during an Instagram Live after being hit with racist and body-shaming comments following the release of her single “Rumors” featuring Cardi B.
The backlash was so intense that Facebook and Instagram removed some of the offensive posts. Cardi B defended her collaborator, tweeting, “body shaming and callin her mammy is mean & racist as f###.”
Lizzo has shared her health journey on social media, including a 16% body fat reduction achieved through Pilates and dietary changes.
Despite the progress, she’s faced criticism from both ends, some attacking her for being “too big,” others accusing her of betraying body positivity by losing weight.
In her Substack post, she explained that her physical transformation was about healing, not meeting beauty standards.
She described her weight as “a protective shield” and “joyful comfort zone” that she chose to release after years of emotional trauma.
Through it all, Lizzo has continued to advocate for body acceptance while insisting that her health decisions are hers alone.