Lili Reinhart Gives a Powerful Speech about Body Image

On 11 November, actor Lili Reinhart — the Betty Cooper of drama series Riverdale fame —  delivered an empowering speech at Glamour’s 2018 Women of the Year Summit. The Riverdale actress talked about body image, mental health, the importance of self-love and how to rise above one’s insecurities.

Her speech was full of reminders and eye-opening statements which would be considered taboo in the entertainment industry, where people specifically aim to live up to Social Media expectations of perfection. Lili opened up about her own personal demons — especially body dysmorphia. For the past year, she has silently tried to understand her inconsistent weight and was even criticised for talking about her body image; she was told she had no right to be self-conscious since she was already skinny. She revealed that her body image didn’t even bother her until she entered the industry — an industry, she found, that praises those with small waists.

No one should be held back from speaking their mind and Lili definitely didn’t. She spoke openly about how body image should remain a personal topic; that no one has the right to tell others how they should look to be accepted and completely fit in. Unfortunately, Social Media is the hub where young people face online harassment. Hopefully Lili’s speech can be an eye-opener to everyone, especially the younger generation, not to submit to peer pressure and accept criticism for the slightest thing.

‘We exist in a world today where everything can be faked or fixed,’ said Lili Reinhart in her speech. ‘Noses can be changed, and stomachs can be tightened, and cellulite can be lasered away, apparently. Because that's what we are told to do, which is alter ourselves in order to be beautiful.’