Academy Award Nominee Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe (pronounced SIH-deh-bay) may not look like your typical Hollywood starlet, but she seems to be comfortable in her own skin and unconcerned about her size. She has been cast in Showtime’s new series “The Big C” as a recurring guest star and seems entirely confident that she is not destined for occasional bit roles.
Recently Sidibe told New York magazine, “I learned to love myself, because I sleep with myself every night and I wake up with myself every morning, and if I don’t like myself, there’s no reason to even live the life.”
Desperation to conform to the thin ideal can have serious health consequences, sometimes even death. However, there are just as many medical concerns with obesity. Obesity can cause problems with sleep, neurological problems, pancreatic cancer, a shorter life, increased chances for infections like the swine flu, and even more debt.
Ms. Sidibe’s positive self-accepting attitude will likely protect her from the dangerous extremes of weight loss efforts if she does choose to change her body. She knows the peace and personal power that comes from loving who you are and being able to depend on yourself as the most constant part of your own life. I would guess that she would know how to set realistic expectations and be successful in any weight loss effort she may choose to undertake. For all of her fans, I hope that she balances her emotional health and keeps an eye on her physical health, too.
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