Actress Jameela Jamil Has a Golden Response to a Body-Shamer at the Gym
By Carl Samson
British actress Jameela Jamil has won praises on social media after putting a body-shaming stranger at the gym back in his place.
In a Twitter post last week, Jamil recalled the offensive encounter with a man during a recent visit to the gym.
According to Jamil, she was about to leave the gym when the man approached and asked her about her workout.
When she told him she’s been cycling to help with her anxiety, the man started preaching.
“I was just leaving the gym and a man I did not know approached me and asked me what workout I had just been doing. I told him I’ve been cycling [because] I have anxiety, that’s why I come to the gym,” Jamil said.
“He decided to tell me without prompt that he sees me around and he always thinks, ‘Ah, what a shame! She could look so amazing!’”
The man tried to sell Jamil “different things” she can do to “improve” her body.
“So essentially, [he] walked up to me and body-shamed me in the middle of a gym.”
Jamil, who has become an advocate of body positivity in recent months, slammed the uncalled commentary.
“Don’t do that. Don’t walk up to someone and impose your belief of what you think they should look like onto them. Don’t do that to women, don’t do that to men, don’t do it to anyone, ever.
“This is why I think so many people who want to exercise don’t because they’re afraid of being judged at the gym. I don’t like walking around now thinking that people [will be] looking at me and analyzing and thinking what I should and shouldn’t look like.”
“The Good Place” star encouraged others to ignore such people.
“F**k those people. Don’t stop yourself from going to the gym because of these stupid people, who they themselves are clearly slightly insecure, which is why they’re even thinking about you like that.
“If they’re thinking about you like that, they’re thinking about themselves like that. F**k those people.”
Jamil launched a campaign called “I Weigh” in April to encourage women’s self-worth.
Born to an Indian father and a Pakistani mother, she has also spoken against racism, having been bullied for her color as a teenager.
To her fans’ delight, Jamil’s follow-up response — involving a burger — summed up everything she had said.
People thanked Jamil for her encouragement and shared their own experiences.
Jamil returns to “The Good Place” on Sept. 27 at Netflix.
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