Dronme Davis is a body positivity influencer who gained fame and followers for her posts that criticized diet culture and celebrated her curves. She was a model for a plus-sized fashion brand and wore up to a size 16 or XXL. However, she shocked her fans when she appeared much thinner and revealed that she had lost weight over a few months.
She did not disclose how much weight she lost or how she did it, but she said that it was a result of her relapse into disordered eating practices. Her weight loss sparked a lot of controversy and criticism from her fans and other body positivity advocates, who felt betrayed and disappointed by her change.
The Weight Loss Controversy
Davis’ weight loss was first noticed by her fans when she posted a video of herself wearing a long dress that seemed to show a baby bump. Some of her fans speculated that she was pregnant, while others wondered if she was taking a new weight loss drug that was popular among celebrities.
However, Davis did not confirm or deny any of the rumors, and instead remained silent about her weight loss. She said that she was scared of being judged or yelled at or letting people down, and that she felt ashamed and guilty about her weight loss.
However, her silence did not stop the backlash from her fans and other body positivity influencers, who accused her of being dishonest, hypocritical, self-hating, and ableist. They said that she had betrayed the body positivity movement and the plus-sized community, and that she had succumbed to the pressure of the thin ideal.
They also said that she had lost her credibility and authenticity as a body positivity influencer, and that she had harmed the mental health and self-esteem of her followers. Some of them even unfollowed her or left hateful comments on her posts.
Davis was not the only body positivity influencer who faced criticism for losing weight. Other influencers, such as Rosey Blair and Tess Holliday, also received negative reactions from their fans and peers when they announced that they were taking weight loss drugs or undergoing weight loss surgery. They were accused of selling out, giving up, or lying to their fans.
However, some of them defended their choices and said that they were doing what was best for their health and happiness, and that they still supported body positivity and diversity.
The Body Positivity Debate
The controversy over Davis’ weight loss and other influencers’ weight loss choices raised a lot of questions and debates about the meaning and purpose of body positivity. Body positivity is a social movement that aims to challenge the stigma and discrimination against people of different body shapes and sizes, and to promote self-love and acceptance of one’s body regardless of its appearance. It also advocates for the representation and inclusion of diverse bodies in the media, fashion, and health industries.
However, some critics argue that body positivity has become too commercialized, co-opted, and diluted by the mainstream culture, and that it has lost its radical and political roots.
They say that body positivity has become a marketing tool for brands and celebrities to sell products and services, and that it has been hijacked by thin, white, cisgender, and able-bodied women who do not face the same oppression and marginalization as fat, black, transgender, and disabled people. They also say that body positivity has become too focused on individual choices and preferences, and that it ignores the structural and systemic factors that shape and constrain people’s bodies and lives.
Some critics also argue that body positivity is not compatible with weight loss, and that weight loss is a form of self-hatred and internalized fatphobia. They say that weight loss is influenced by the social and cultural pressure to conform to the thin ideal, and that it reinforces the notion that thinness is superior and desirable, while fatness is inferior and undesirable.
They also say that weight loss is harmful to one’s physical and mental health, and that it perpetuates the stigma and discrimination against fat people. They claim that body positivity should reject and resist weight loss, and that it should celebrate and embrace fatness as a form of beauty and empowerment.
However, some supporters argue that body positivity is inclusive and flexible, and that it can accommodate different perspectives and experiences of people’s bodies and lives. They say that body positivity is not a monolithic or dogmatic movement, and that it respects and supports people’s choices and autonomy over their own bodies.
They also say that body positivity is not anti-weight loss, and that weight loss can be a form of self-care and self-expression, as long as it is done for the right reasons and in a healthy and sustainable way. They claim that body positivity should not judge or shame people for their weight or their weight loss, and that it should acknowledge and appreciate the diversity and complexity of people’s bodies and journeys.
Conclusion
Dronme Davis is a body positivity influencer who faced a lot of backlash and criticism for losing weight. Her weight loss sparked a controversy and a debate about the meaning and purpose of body positivity, and the role and impact of weight loss on the movement and the community.
Some people argued that her weight loss was a betrayal and a failure of body positivity, while others argued that her weight loss was a personal and valid choice that did not negate her body positivity. The controversy and the debate revealed the challenges and tensions that body positivity faces in the contemporary society, and the need for more dialogue and understanding among its supporters and critics.