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Sam Smith just released their fourth album, Gloria. For the album cover, they were photographed topless, which is the end of a long journey for Sam. After struggling with body dysmorphia (BD) for years, they see themselves in a whole new light, and they love what they see. Sam said about five years ago, they started the process of body acceptance by forcing themselves to take their shirt off when they went to pools. Now, they can’t get enough of how they look. As they told The Sunday Times [via People] “I look fabulous.”
Sam Smith is getting candid about their experience getting over body dysmorphia.
Talking with The Sunday Times, the singer, 30, recently opened up about feeling good in their skin after struggling with their weight while being in the public eye. They admitted that it was a long journey before they were able to be comfortable enough to pose topless for their recent album cover Gloria.
“Within my industry there is definitely that question of, ‘What should a pop star look like?’” they told the outlet, noting that they never fit the “norm.” However, Smith revealed that the turning point with their self-image was after their Thrill of It All tour in 2018.
“When I was 25 I came off tour exhausted. I looked to role models in the body world. Every time I went to the pool I felt self-conscious, but I forced myself to take my top off,” they said. “It paid off because I now have the opposite of body dysmorphia. I look fabulous. I’m finally getting a tan. I’m burnt in places I’ve never been burnt.”
[From People]
A few years ago, Jonah Hill posted a similar message about taking his shirt off at a pool. It’s interesting but understandable how that is such a universal being the mark of self-acceptance. It starts at grade school pool parties, doesn’t it? Some of us wore t-shirts for weight, some because they had boobs, some because they didn’t. Boys and girls alike. As a Californian, I love that Sam uses getting burnt as a joy of body acceptance. I know what their point is but put on some sunscreen, Sam! The overall message is marvelous, though. That they started a journey with that first huge step of exposing’ themselves in that way, and now Sam can recognize their fabulousness. You love to see it.
The People article reflected back on Sam’s 2020 Times interview in which they connected their BD with their gender identity (Sam came out as non-binary in 2019). I realize BD stems from different issues for different people, but this is an angle I hadn’t considered before. It sheds light on a whole new level of cruelty with these anti-trans laws and why they’re so dangerous. If we deny people the right to live as they truly see themselves, they will never see they’re fabulous, like Sam does.
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