Despite addressing her thyroid condition nearly two years ago, Gigi Hadid has opened up about the body shaming she's continued to face.
Back in 2016, the Victoria's Secret model explained that she's faced continuous weight fluctuation due to a condition called Hashimoto's disease. The disease causes your immune system to attack your thyroid, causing one to feel various symptoms that include sleepiness, depression, and changes in weight, according to Mayo Clinic
Despite her previous response to those who critiqued her appearance, and calling it "nonsense," Gigi revealed in an interview with Blake Lively for Harper's Bazaar that some on social media have continued to send her remarks that "hurt."
During the interview Gigi pointed out how she's struggled with the disease her whole life. She said: "Nowadays, people are quick to say, 'I used to love Gigi’s body, and now she just gave in.' But I’m not skinny because I gave in to the industry. When I had a more athletic figure, I was proud of my body because I was an amazing volleyball player and horseback rider. But after discovering that I have Hashimoto’s [an autoimmune disease], I needed to eat healthy and work out. It was weird as a teenager, dealing with this when all of my friends could eat McDonald’s and it wouldn’t affect them."
Gigi said that she's chosen to not "look back with regret," even though she said she sometimes prefers how her body used to look. Instead of looking back, she said she focuses on loving her body where it is now. "I loved my body then, and I love my body now. Whoever is reading this, I want you to realize that three years from now you will look back at a picture from this time period and be like: 'Wow, I was so hot. Why did I feel so bad about myself because of some stupid thing someone said?'" She also reminded readers that the images they see online "are not real life." Blake agreed, and added that oftentimes pictures can be manipulated.
Gigi's remarks are a good reminder of how hurtful and impactful comments can be, even when they're made online. It's never acceptable to body-shame someone else, and though Gigi may live in the public eye, that doesn't give anyone the right to comment on her weight or appearance.
Related: Gigi Hadid Clapped Back at Body Shamers in Twitter Thread
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