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It should be a day of celebration for Amy Schumer after she was nominated for two Grammy Awards – Best Spoken Word album for her book, The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo and Best Comedy Album for Live At the Apollo.
But in recent days the constant stream of online abuse the stand-up comic and actress is subject to kicked up a notch when it was announced she’s set to play Barbie in a live-action film, with many saying she doesn’t have the right body to play the iconic doll.
But in a show of strength, the funny-woman has penned a powerful open letter to her haters, and to anyone who’s been bullied, abused or shamed online.
“Very, very honored to be nominated for two Grammys and to be considered to play an important and evolving icon [Barbie],” she captioned a photo of herself in a swimsuit posted to Instagram on Wednesday.
“Is it fat shaming if you know you’re not fat and have zero shame in your game?” she continued. “I don’t think so. I am strong and proud of how I live my life and say what I mean and fight for what I believe in and I have a blast doing it with the people I love.”
Backing herself, the writer and actress continued “I’m a badass comic headlining arenas all over the world and making TV and movies and writing books where I lay it all out there and I’m fearless like you can be.”
Schumer thanked her supporters and also expressed her “deepest sympathy” for trolls “who are in more pain than we will ever understand”. She urged anyone being bullied or attacked online to stand up for themselves.
“They can scream as loud as they want. We can’t hear them because we are getting shit done. I am proud to lead by example.”
She finished with a quote from a speech she gave about body confidence she gave at a gala held by the Ms Foundation for Women in 2014.
“I say if I’m beautiful, I say if I’m strong. You will not determine my story. I will.”
Last week it was announced Amy is in negotiations to play Barbie in what will be a comedic, feminist and modern take on the doll, moving away from the toy’s image associated with thinness and perfectionism, set for release in 2018.
