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Jojo Siwa is in the midst of a bedazzled rebrand. Over the past few weeks, the internet has reveled in every cringe moment, bouncing from think pieces about Siwa’s Disney-villain-esque aesthetic to critiques of her self-designated title as the mastermind behind “gay pop.” But while the former “Dance Moms” star continues to publicly navigate the sticky transition from child-bow mogul to serious adult musician, she’s also had to face disappointing opinions about her body.
“The worst is when someone’s like, ‘She looks like she’s gained weight,’ and I’m like, ‘Shit, it’s noticeable,'” Siwa said on Ryan and Meghan Trainor’s podcast, “Workin’ on It.”
Some criticism is to be expected for a former child star with such a massive following, but commenting on a person’s body — no matter their level of celebrity — is different from any valid critique about their creative direction and is just unnecessary, not to mention harmful. This feels especially true for someone like Siwa, who grew up in the dance world, where body image is such a major point of focus. “I have had to learn that I am not little, I am strong,” Siwa said on the podcast. “I’m meaty. I ain’t ashamed of it anymore.”
“I am not little, I am strong.”
Siwa added that as her life changed, so did her body — a fact that should be normalized rather than picked apart on social media. “I went through a phase post-‘Dancing With the Stars’ where I was little,” she said, referring to her participation in 2021. Although she normally wears a size six, Siwa said that after the show, she was closer to a size zero. “Afterwards, I went on tour, so [I stayed] that size, then came back, and of course I [was] going to gain weight.”
The explanation makes sense. In fact, the only real surprise is that people felt comfortable commenting on how a then-18-year-old’s body changed over the years. “Now I look back at that, and I’m back in my [size] six, back in my sometimes-eights, and living my life, feeling fine, but I’m like, ‘Shit, how did I look like that?'” Siwa said. “And then I’m like, ‘But think about how weak you were.'”
Luckily, she’s learning to prioritize strength over appearance and turning this outward attention into something positive: “Now, I can partner with girls, and I can chuck them over my head with one hand,” Siwa said.
If nothing else, Siwa’s candor offers a refreshing glimpse behind her glittery facade. You don’t have to love her new aesthetic, or even her music, but there’s one thing we should all be able to agree on: her weight is none of your business.
Chandler Plante is an assistant editor for POPSUGAR Health & Fitness. Previously, she worked as an editorial assistant for People magazine and contributed to Ladygunn, Millie, and Bustle Digital Group. In her free time, she overshares on the internet, creating content about chronic illness, beauty, and disability.