WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 04: Bebe Rexha performs onstage at the amfAR Gala Los Angeles 2021 honoring TikTok and Jeremy Scott at Pacific Design Center on November 04, 2021 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Ryan Emberley/amfAR/Getty Images for amfAR )

As we watched you share your private struggle with your weight and body image on TikTok, we wanted to scoop you up in an enormous virtual bear hug. Along with our tears, empathy, and support, you also had our full R-E-S-P-E-C-T. It’s not every celebrity role model that keeps it so real and for that, we salute you. You’d think if living through a global pandemic – the leveler we never saw coming and so desperately needed – taught us anything it’s that we’re all equal, flawed, vulnerable, and the struggle is real. As we were forced to take a deep dive into our conscience and reexamine how we show up in an Instagram-filtered world it became painfully clear that judgment, division, unresolved trauma, and setting unrealistic expectations of ourselves and others no longer have a place in our psyche or our future. It is time to actually wake up, and stop pretending we are woke. 

@beberexha

Honest update.

♬ original sound – BebeRexha

As a fashion magazine, GRAZIA loves to celebrate style and glamour but we’d like to think that lens no longer showcases a one size fits all approach (and we will continue to widen it). And that is thanks to trailblazers like you – along with Adele, Rebel Wilson, Ashley Graham – who have all re-written the narrative by proudly flying the flag for positive body image that we are more woke to the fact that real beauty comes in all shapes and sizes and colors. But dear Bebe, most importantly it comes from within. It pains us to hear that you were too embarrassed to post, don’t know how to love yourself, and feel “disgusting”. On the contrary, we think you are a Queen. Through your brave message, you showed a level of self-awareness, self-love, grace, and power that we should all aspire to.  And for that, we also salute and thank you. 

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 24: (L-R) Chloe Bailey, Bebe Rexha and Ryan Destiny, along with Ketel One Botanical, Don Julio 70 and Jane Walker by Johnnie Walker, celebrate Doja Cat’s ‘Planet Her’ on June 24, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Ketel One Botanical)

No one ever really knows what’s lurking behind the veil (trust us when we say we are all struggling right now in our own way), and by speaking out you have shined a light and empowered those who are also battling with their bodies. We can only hope this also inspired the collective to drop the mask and do better. Of course, the haters are always gonna hate. To them, we say “Be like Bebe.” Use your voice, own your stuff, step into your power (especially when you’re not feeling it), and take the bold steps toward healing and transformation. Which in today’s woo woo world starts with awareness and never being too ashamed to ask for help.  As my mother always said, “a problem shared is a problem halved.” So thank you for sharing.  Now, straighten that crown, love thy self (and thy body), know you are beautiful and here’s to all of us doing the inner work we’ve neglected for far too long.  You got this.

PS:  If it’s any consultation, we think it’s safe to say it was a pretty shitty holiday season all around, but we gotta feeling 2022 is going to be dope.