Why Billie Eilish's Body Shaming Protest Is So Meaningful

Billie Eilish talked to Rolling Stone in July 2019 about issues she faced when she was younger, including her body image struggles. The singer, who used to be a dancer, revealed, "At dance, you wear really tiny clothes. And I've never felt comfortable in really tiny clothes. I was always worried about my appearance. That was the peak of my body dysmorphia. I couldn't look in the mirror at all."

Things didn't get any better when Eilish suffered an injury, rupturing the growth plate that's located in her hip. The accident prevented her from dancing, and this led to another serious issue in her life. "I think that's when the depression started," the Los Angeles native said. "It sent me down a hole. I went through a whole self-harming phase — we don't have to go into it. But the gist of it was, I felt like I deserved to be in pain."

Eilish is doing better nowadays but acknowledges that plenty of people aren't in the same place. "Sometimes I see girls at my shows with scars on their arms, and it breaks my heart," she admitted. "I don't have scars anymore because it was so long ago. But I've said to a couple of them, 'Just be nice to yourself.' Because I know. I was there." 

Many can probably agree it's important to practice understanding and compassion in these situations, so bravo to the musician for drawing awareness to this issue.

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