Golden Globe-nominated actress Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe recently posed for the February issue of Harpar’s Bazaar and spoke about her confidence and frustrations with the media.
On doing the Harper’s Bazaar shoot:
“I feel like a model. It justifies everyone in my life who told me I wouldn’t be anything until I lost weight. It justifies that little girl who cried because she didn’t think she could be in front of the camera. And it’s for other girls who feel like they can’t do this or that and feel like they’re not pretty and not worthy of having their photo taken.”On her confidence:
“People always ask me, ‘You have so much confidence. Where did that come from?’ It came from me. One day I decided that I was beautiful, and so I carried out my life as if I was a beautiful girl. I wear colors that I really like, I wear makeup that makes me feel pretty, and it really helps. It doesn’t have anything to do with how the world perceives you. What matters is what you see.”On her frustration with some media synopsis’ of Precious:
“‘Gabby Sidibe is an overweight black girl who is illiterate and pregnant by her father,’” she parrots. “Look, I am black. I’m also overweight, but that’s not the point of the story. The point is the abuse and her bravery. This stuff happens to skinny people, to white people, to so many different people that they’ve missed the point if they say it’s about a fat girl.”
Now #54 FROM A BLACK MAN
You have really said something — THANK YOU! I co-sign 100% with this. We need to be more critical about the way that we understand representations of blackness. While we can applaud a movie for having a compelling plot, we have to be able to analyze all aspects to understand how white supremacy and racial stereotypes continue to pervade the movies. If not, we end up taking it all in and not even realizing that we grow to accept the very negative stereotypes that we see… this has implications for how we even see ourselves and our children.
WHY IS SHE BAREFOOT? THEY ARE MAKING A FOOL OF THIS YOUNG WOMAN. SMH
@NICHOLELIBRA
I totally love your response i too used to be big and I totally love her confidence but you know everyone has to get healthy at some point but uhh im not sure shes really confident cause of how much we are pushed to look healthy and how much the media praises bigger people is not alot.
I love her attitude she is a great role model for young girls. Love you and be healthy about it. Not everyone is a 10. The thing is Monique was hollering all over the tv I love my big bones I love me some me. Now who’s losing weight all over the place. She needs for peolpe to say she is the shit. As long as Gabby is HEALTHY as long as she love her some her then we should just leave her alone and let her do her. Three months in the running she will probaly be doing a Jenny Craig commercial. Let’s debate about this healthcare issue in not so much about Gabby. Can someone give me forty dollars so I can pay my copay so the doctor will see me. Thanks.
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—@Indie
—Lol, who is we? Who the hell are you talking about? I speak for myself. as should
—you. I don’t believe in “group-think”. I have no idea why simple-minded people think
—that it is “positive” to lie. The fact of the matter is that obesity is a problem in
—America, particularly in the black community, and particularly with black women.
—It’s something that must be corrected because many black women, due to the
—feminist movement, no longer think that cooking is important. This means that
—fast food is the staple of their diet, and thusly the diet of the children. I don’t believe
—in “empowerment” based on laziness or any other character flaw. If you’re obese,
—you need to get on the treadmill as well and stop with the nonsense.
wtf….
They continue to make a mockery of this woman. I refuse to believe she look in the mirror and see confidence. Oh please!
Kool-Aid!
I I have seen this woman do several interviews…..from Ellen Degeneres to Monique….and I am just amazed. Her whole attitude and confidence is roaring. I love her. This could have been a role for a beautiful size two light skinned woman and she would have probably been cocky as hell about it. But Gabby she is something special. I am so happy for her. She got more confidence than the average person her size.
And at some point she probably will consider her weight. When she gets older it most likely will be a problem. It will become a health issue. But right now I say if you feeling healthy do you. Kudos!!!!!
As a 300 pound black woman myself, who had a horrible childhood. I identify with “Precious” far more than I identify with Gabby Sidibe.
Gabby came from a good home and as far as I know, have both of her parents who loved her. It makes all the difference.
If she was left to the dogs as I was to grow up in foster care and subjec6t to hideous abuse – by the time you get to the mirror- all you cna see is filth and ugliness.
I think that people don’t understand the dynamics of beauty for women, but to me Gabby did a great job in acting in the movie Precious, but cannot be a role model for me because her lack of self hatred makes her alien to me- not because I desire fopr her to hate herself, but because I know that you simply can’t get up one day and just “love yourself.”