Matt Lucas Being Thin-Shamed Has Started A Serious Debate About How Common It Is

Matt Lucas has started a big debate online. The 47-year-old comedian tweeted that he had been ‘thin-shamed’ over the weekend while attending the Arsenal vs Manchester United game at Emirates Stadium in London.

‘Shout out to the lady who stopped me at football today to ask me why I’ve lost weight and to inform me I look a lot older,’ he said on Twitter. ‘For the first time in my life, I think I’ve just been thin-shamed.’

More than 30,000 likes later, the now-viral tweet caused The Great British Bake Off presenter's name to trend as many began debating the topic of thin-shaming. For a long time, people have questioned the validity of thin-shaming as a genuine issue: attempts to degrade someone by virtue of their thinness seem less disconcerting than it’s much more pervasive counterpart, fat-shaming.

But for those that relate to Lucas, thin-shaming is absolutely real. ‘It’s actually infuriating how true this is,’ one follower tweeted. ‘Lost friends because they didn’t like the thin me, the world treats you different when you’re thin to when your fat. Now I get “You’re looking well” cause I’m fat again.’

‘Funny how it’s ok to say that to people,’ another added. ‘[I] spent my adolescence eating everything and being told I was thin! I hid behind my clothes! Try telling someone they are fat and unhealthy and see how many laugh.’

Many others agree, tweeting their support of Lucas and pointing out that the mere existence of ‘thin-shaming’ as a concept shows that people will always judge how you look in the harshest of ways, regardless of whether you fit a particular standard of beauty or not.

‘Sorry to hear this,’ another said. ‘I too have lost weight recently and I feel much better for it. Now I'm getting you shouldn't lose any more. It makes my blood boil. What business is it of theirs? We are intelligent people listening to our bodies. Leave us alone!’

Matt hasn’t elaborated on his tweet but appears to agree, liking some of the responses that relate to his experience. Ultimately, the whole debate just serves as yet another reminder – we shouldn’t really need – that offering your unsolicited opinion on someone’s weight is never appropriate.