The Case of Adele: Physical Image in Society & the Entertainment Industry

Adele, featured on the latest cover of British Vogue.

There is no doubt - Adele is absolutely one of the most talented artists of our generation. She is a singer/songwriter that manages to pour her entire heart and soul onto romantically curated beats. Her voice is nothing short of dazzling, and her lyrics reel you into feeling emotions you may have never even imagined possible. From the very beginning of her career, when she released her album "19", the media absolutely ate her up. She was a critically-acclaimed artist and her music generated over a billion sales worldwide. I remember being about 10 or 11 years old, and my older cousin Sadei (who's every move I wanted to copy), played "Chasing Pavements" by Adele on her blackberry phone in what may have been 2009. I heard that song, and a couple of other songs by Adele, and I suddenly knew what love was and how it was supposed to, and not supposed to make you feel.

Growing up, one thing I always loved about Adele in particular is that she proved to a girl like me (who has been curvy since practically, well...birth) that you can make a name for yourself despite unrealistic beauty standards set by the entertainment industry. Adele was once a young female in her 20's, just like me, figuring out love and life and everything else under the sun. I can't possibly imagine going through half of what I go through under the scrutiny of the public eye and tabloids. It's almost horrifying to imagine.

Although mostly everyone has always loved Adele, I have to touch on the topic of her new-found "image" which has turned the entire industry upside down. After a 5 year break from media and music, Adele has suddenly emerged 100lbs thinner and 10x more confident. She is a sight for sore eyes. Since her re-emergence she has hosted SNL, been on the most recent cover of British Vogue, and has been a trending topic on social media for months. Not only does she appear happy, but the tabloids and media are happy for her - which is quite a rarity in today's day and age.

Adele, before and after her weight loss journey.

Now, I want to get into the nitty gritty of this think-piece. With Adele's new image and all the publicity it has garnered - we must ask ourselves: "Is there a certain favoritism placed on women in society when they fit the ideological beauty standard?" In other words, Adele has always been beautiful in my opinion regardless of her size, and her talent is completely unmatched. However, the amount of attention and media coverage she has gotten since her weight-loss has surpassed any of that which she received before hand. Of course - we know (in America at least) the ideal beauty standard is to be thin. Yes, we have the current "Kim Kardashian body type" trend with a surge in Brazilian Butt-Lift procedures, however - most of society still aims to achieve that thin, slim look. There is a certain type of privilege that comes with fitting into the preferred beauty standard - and I can attest to that from my own personal experience.

My entire life, my weight has fluctuated. I have tried fad diets, rigorous workout routines, juice cleanses, any and everything under the sun to lose weight and maintain it! I can honestly say, (although I've always felt beautiful regardless), the privilege and preferential treatment that came with being my "thinnest" was such a huge contrast from what I experienced when I was my "biggest". Not only did I receive more attention, but I found it easier to get hired for jobs, make new friends, and overall just exist. I've even had family members treat me differently based on my weight and I've had numerous lovers make unsolicited comments about my weight as well. The internalized stigma against physicality is a bigger problem than most realize, especially and specifically against women. Fatphobia is pretty much defined as a social stigma against obesity. For a curvy girl like me who is an aspiring stylist and fashion critic, I can only pray that this stigma is reduced by the time I land a job in fashion. I no longer want to see people treated differently for their physical appearance, as it is simply unfair.

Don't get me wrong: health is wealth. I must admit I have felt my best during times when I've been consistently in the gym and maintaining a healthy nutritious diet. But it's important to note that just because someone may be overweight - doesn't necessarily mean that they are unhealthy. And just because someone is thin, doesn't mean that they are healthy. So many factors go into physical appearance such as genes, diseases such as PCOS, age, height etc. It's somewhat unfair to assume someone's health status based on their physical appearance, and I want to hold my friends and family accountable for doing this at times. Not only can it be hurtful, but it is also ignorant and judgmental - especially when you're advocating for people to try things to lose weight that you don't even do yourself.

I also think it's important to note that in her recent interview with Vogue, Adele mentions that she didn't lose weight with the intention to lose weight. She began working out due to stress and anxiety, as physical activity was one of her coping mechanisms. So it's imperative that we realize that just because someone is losing weight, doesn't always mean they are purposely attempting to do so.

For decades, the fashion industry has highlighted the importance of being thin, to a point of unhealthiness. Models in the late 90's and early 2000's were nothing short of skin and bones - and it almost became a trend to do things like skip meals and workout 3 times a day. As a member of the fashion community, I wish that the fashion industry would hold themselves accountable for the unrealistic beauty standards that they have placed upon women all over the world for hundreds of years. Although times are most certainly changing and the world is becoming not only more inclusive but accepting (plus-size models like Ashley Graham and Barbie Ferriera are some of the most famous models today), we can use Adele's situation as an example of the preferential treatment and privileges that woman receive when they fit into the box that society has constructed.

I want my readers to know that no matter what size, shape, height or weight you are - we are all beautiful in our own way. Individuality is so important and we must continue to emphasize that. Our worth is not deemed by our physical appearance, but rather what we can do to provide some type of benefit to this crazy world we live in today.

Stay healthy, stay happy, and go listen to Adele's new song "Easy on Me" because it is incredible.