Warning: This article contains mentions of body shaming and eating disorders. 

RECENTLY, many people have been showing concern in the comments of Kylie Verzosa’s Instagram posts due to her apparent weight loss. 

This can be seen, for example, in a video of the actress-slash-model getting ready for the Revolve Festival. Many started to ask if she had gotten thinner, stating that she looked different compared to before. 

One comment stated: “‘Di na maganda yung pagkapayat… panget na tignan. Mas maganda yung dating Kylie.”

“Sino manager or stylist niya?” Another person asked, concerned.

“Kung concerned kayo kay Kylie, wag niyo sana hayaan gumayan katawan niya, hindi talaga bagay sa kanya. Mas okay may konting laman sa kanya.”

The same kinds of comments can be seen on many of her other photos and videos as well. There were also others insulting her facial features and even asking if she had developed an eating disorder, hence her weight loss.

To these comments, Verzosa replied: “I’m perfectly healthy and happy, I eat healthy, and I take very good care of my health. It’s sad to see so many Filipinos judging their own. I’m super proud to come from here, but you guys make it hard to appreciate home. We’re far behind, and yet here we are still commenting on other people’s bodies. It’s never okay. I hope you guys are okay and just focus on yourself and your own personal growth and well-being. Being kind to one another will always be in.”

People were also quick to come to her defense, saying that people have no right to judge her and that no one should be able to make unwarranted comments on someone else’s body, especially if they’re negative.

One person wrote: “The comment section didn’t pass the vibe check. Toxic as f*ck talaga, grabe mag-comment sa katawan ng ibang tao. Konting aral or basa din, wag puro scroll lang.”

“It bugs me when people are unnecessarily mean; you don’t have to make all these negative comments,” another stated.

“You could have just kept your mouth shut and left that person not feeling bad about themselves. What do you gain from making someone else feel like sh*t? Nothing of substance.”

They noted that there was enough unhappiness in the world without negative commenters adding to it, and reminded people to always be kind, as well.

Others also shared their appreciation for Kylie’s body and admired her ability to stick to a consistent diet and workout routine.

Unwarranted comments

Celebrities are people just like anyone else; they have feelings, and there are inevitably going to be changes in their appearance. To expect that someone is going to look the same way forever is, essentially, to expect perfection, something humans were not made for. 

When it comes to making comments about someone’s performance, the best thing to do is to follow the 5-second rule. 

As per therapist Dr. Desta, PhD, MS, this means that you should only comment about something if the person can change it within five seconds. A stray hair, gunk on their teeth – all of these are fine because all of these are things that can be dealt with quickly. 

But to comment on someone’s weight, or their acne, or anything else that you know they can’t change… what exactly is the point in doing so? Is it just to make them feel bad? Is it just to make you feel better about yourself?

In Verzosa’s situation, those who commented explained that they were doing so out of concern for the celebrity. If it truly were a concern, however, then perhaps they should have taken into account how comments like these would affect her mental health as well.