Ariana Grande's appearance has once again become the subject of intense online commentary, but the conversation is having consequences far beyond social media. Care providers treating people with eating disorders say the commentary has left some patients experiencing feelings of fear and anger.
The concerns highlight the potential impact of celebrity body scrutiny on people already struggling with eating disorders. Discussion of Grande's appearance continues to fuel speculation, debate and commentary online.
According to a report from NBC News, several care providers said their clients had been overwhelmed with emotion after watching thousands of comments, some worried and some cruel, pile up about Grande's body.
'Several care providers said their clients have been overwhelmed with emotions, including fear and anger, as they watched thousands of people leave a mixture of worried and cruel comments about Grande's body,' part of the report read.
The report suggests that it is not simply Grande's appearance driving that distress, but the volume and tone of public commentary surrounding it. Providers described patients struggling to process a barrage of speculation about a stranger's body, regardless of whether the intent behind it was concern or cruelty.
The discussion also comes as Grande herself faces increasing scrutiny over her appearance. Her representatives recently confirmed that she plans to take a step back from public-facing work after completing her Eternal Sunshine Tour, citing the 'endless, ongoing public scrutiny' surrounding her visibility.
NBC reports that the scrutiny surrounding Ariana Grande’s body has been triggering individuals with eating disorders:“Several care providers said their clients have been overwhelmed with emotions, including fear and anger, as they watched thousands of people leave a mixture of… pic.twitter.com/a1yqEvUczC
The online response has been sharply critical of those doing the commenting rather than of Grande herself. Many users argued that the backlash proved the very point eating disorder advocates have long made: scrutinising someone's appearance, even under the guise of concern, can cause real harm.
Several pointed out that it was the volume of comments, rather than Grande's body itself, that had proven triggering. Some accused critics of causing the damage they claimed to be worried about, while others noted the irony of fans previously being dismissed as overprotective for defending Grande, only for the latest controversy to reignite debate over whether those concerns were justified.
A number of users also argued that unsolicited commentary on anyone's body rarely helps. They urged people to consider the wider consequences of piling onto someone's appearance regardless of intention.
However, the debate has also exposed a difficult divide between expressing concern and speculating publicly about someone's health. Grande has not publicly confirmed the health-related claims being made about her, and her representatives have not attributed her decision to step back to any specific medical condition. Instead, her representative cited the ongoing scrutiny that has accompanied her public-facing work.
see how it can have the opposite effect… i’m glad they pointed out that not ARIANA was triggering but it was the people. people are TERRIBLE
it’s almost like we’ve been telling yall that commenting on the appearance of ppl you don’t know can have negative effects on others omg
The images are triggering as fuck, not the comments. People pretending she looks normal is more likely to convince women with ED's that they're just not skinny enough
people aren't triggered by the scrutiny. they're triggered by her emaciated image being pushed on their timelines, followed by a speech in which she proclaimed that she is healthier than ever