Raven-Symoné Discusses Body Shaming During Childhood and Its Impact on Mental Health.
The 31-year-old actress, Raven-Symoné, expressed to PEOPLE Now her desire to have grown up in today’s more accepting society.
She believes that the body shaming she faced as a child contributed to her mental health struggles.
The star, famous for her role in That’s So Raven, has experienced fat shaming from others throughout her career.
She remembers being told that she was too large to perform a 90-minute concert, but she proved them wrong by showing that talent and performance ability are not determined by size.
Raven-Symoné has been open about body shaming in the past. In 2015, she shared that at just 7 years old, she was told not to eat food while working on the set of The Cosby Show.
She recounted her experience on The View, saying, “I remember not being able to have the bagel or anything at… crafty, where it’s just a table of food, ready for you to eat whatever you want.”
“And I remember people would be like, ‘You can’t eat that. You’re getting fat!’ I’m like, ‘I’m 7! I’m hungry!’”
Returning to the Disney Channel with Raven’s Home, a reboot of That’s So Raven, Raven-Symoné feels that people are more accepting today.
She appreciates the diverse representation of body types, hair, and the inclusion of the LGBT community.
Raven-Symoné emphasizes the importance of individuality, saying, “The world is too big to have one sort of view to show beauty, because then you are literally destroying society.”
She calls for breaking the mold and challenging the industry’s judgmental standards.
