The Size of Success

“Gabourey is getting a beating by the media”

by Brea’ Reliford


*** This story received placement in RocHarder Magazine


“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’re not pretty and not worthy of having their photo taken,” explains ‘Precious’ star Gabourey Sidibe. Although people are judged everyday, Gabourey is getting a verbal beating by the media. From Howard Stern saying “she’s the most enormous, fat black chick I’ve ever seen,” to Vogue Magazine calling her a “joke” in the fashion community. Gabourey Sidibe still speaks of how happy she is with the person she see’s in the mirror, something she decided on long time ago.


As Sidibe’s weight warrants a discussion on America’s obesity problem, the real question is: What does size have to do with success? How big was Mo’Nique when she was honored for the exact same film? Or how big was Jennifer Hudson when she took the prize for Dreamgirls? In reality, size has nothing to do with success! According to AcaiSupply.com, a company trying to grab some attention for their weight loss system, Gabourey will never take home a golden statue until she sheds a few pounds. Is this ethical for the media to battle with Sidibe about the impossibility of her finding any work in Hollywood after ‘Precious’?


“I’ve never been a small girl. One day I had to sit down with myself and decide that I loved myself no matter what my body looked like, and what other people thought about my body”, Gabby said. Since the disturbing and obnoxious discussions that have occurred, Alice Ridley has been quick to defend her famous daughter. “She’s not like everyone else in the world. I don’t see him giving jobs out to anybody, so why should we care what he says?” she said. “He might not hire her, but someone else will.” According to “Actress Hollywood,” Sidibe is set to have a recurring part in Showtime’s new dark comedy series, ‘The Big C’, which also stars Laura Linney and Oliver Platt. It looks like Gabby will prove her opponents wrong. She is also lined up to appear opposite Zoe Kravitz in the drama ‘Yelling to the Sky’. As the media continues to stab at the confidence of Gabby, she will move forward with her acting career.


Questions still bubble up regarding her acting abilities and future in the entertainment industry, with people like Howard Stern saying, “she’s never going to be in another movie. She is not healthy. She is enormous.” Don’t achievements come in all sizes? Can you tell by looking at a person if they are healthy? Fat does not always equal disease, and thin does not always equal healthy. Discussing Gabby’s weight in response to Stern’s comments, Sidibe’s mother said, “He can see, you can see, I can see Gabby is a big girl. She’s a big woman, so what’s wrong with that?” Honestly, at the end of the day, big girls win Grammys, big girls win Oscars, and big girls with big roles shouldn’t have to win the respect that they deserve. We’re bigger than that.