Octavia Spencer Defends Her Figure, “I’m not worrying about my weight or trying to conform…”

After being honored by my Guild on Sunday, I was whisked to the Press Room where one of the first questions I was asked (by Ted Casablanca) was ‘what I felt about underweight women’. (i’m paraphrasing here) I’m thinking….this is relevant because… Then I started thinking, would these questions ever be asked of my male counterparts? Better yet, underweight actors or actresses? Nah, I don’t think so!

Anyway, I answer: “Women would be alot happier if they ate…However, it is society that has told them and continues to tell them that you are less valued if you are of a certain age, or weight…something has to change. ” I began that by addressing my own weight issue..”Granted I’m not at the healthiest weight because when you are heavier around the middle…” blah blah blah. YOu get it. The next thing I read, Octavia Spencer is WORRIED ABOUT HER WEIGHT…. OCTAVIA SPENCER FEELS SHE IS LESS VALUED BECAUSE OF HER WEIGHT…

Of course I was miffed that not only was I being misrepresented, but it was sending THE WRONG MESSAGE to kids out there…So, I decided to tell you IN MY OWN DAMNED WORDS the truth! First of all, Ladies and Gents  here’s what i am NOT DOING….I am NOT WORRYING ABOUT MY WEIGHT!  I AM NOT TRYING TO CONFORM TO an unrealistic model of beauty.

I AM however being proactive in being the healthiest I can be. And before you ask, NO, awards season is not the reason. I’ve been doing this for the past 10 years because it took that long to gain the weight! Right now, believe it or not, I’m pretty damn healthy!  20 LBS (max) is all I intend to lose.

Now hopefully having cleared up the constantly tweeted, and blogged about “I am less valuable because of my weight” MISQUOTES attributed to me, I want to touch on the real issue here. The  weight obsessed media is destroying not only us but our children! Our culture is at the precipice of redifining who we are. Right now in  this salacious age of the internet coupled with  the “beauty and fashion” industries respectively ONLY promoting a “certain” kind of pretty, we’ve seen a dramatic  increase in bullying, eating disorders and body dysmorphia among MALE and female teens. This is no joking matter.

Here’s what I will leave you with: Be happy in your own skin. If you are unhealthy start by making small changes to become healthier.  You are unique, beautiful, and worthy.   Last but certainly not least, don’t buy into any of it.  AND I MEAN LITERALLY! I don’t buy magazines that don’t feature  women who represent my physicality or varying ethicities on their cover because they are saying, YOU DON’T MATTER TO ME…YOU ARE NOT MY DEMOGRAPHIC. To that I say, good, that’s $35 a week I can save!

God bless!