Yvette Nicole Brown On How The Entertainment Industry Can Do Better - Exclusive
The world is more accepting than ever before, and it's truly showing on television, with more inclusive shows hitting airwaves and streaming services every year. But there's still something missing: How much you weigh still seems to be an ongoing issue in show business. It's something that actress Yvette Nicole Brown has set out to change.
For Brown, the stigma surrounding weight is something that hits home. "Anyone that looks at me knows that I have dealt with obesity in my life, because my weight has gone up and down publicly," she said during an exclusive interview with The List.
Now, she's taking the issue public. Brown has partnered with Queen Latifah on a campaign called "It's Bigger Than Me" to help change the narrative when it comes to obesity. "There's this idea that obesity is something that we've done to ourselves instead of it being a health issue, a disease, and it can be caused by your genes or your hormones," Brown told us. When it comes to the world's depiction of obesity, she believes that the entertainment industry is what can help change it.
Representation really does matter
Over the last few years, films and television shows have made it clear that representation really does matter. But one thing consistently missing is inclusion when it comes to weight. "I'm hoping that those that are the powers that be in the entertainment industry will start creating more storylines and movies and television shows that talk about obesity as a disease in particular," Yvette Nicole Brown told The List. "Because once we see more of it in front of us, representation matters, and you can't be it unless you see it."
By bringing attention to what obesity truly is, Brown wants those watching to feel less embarrassed and ashamed of their own weight. "This is nothing to be hard on yourself about; this is not about blaming yourself," the actress said. "This is about you realizing that it's a disease and talking to your doctor to get some help."
Over time, her hope is that the spotlight will slowly point at the stigma surrounding weight, and eventually, shift the world's perception of obesity completely. "That's so important," she told us. "That — besides entertainment — can really change lives."
For more information on Yvette Nicole Brown's partnership with "It's Bigger Than Me," and for resources on opening up a discussion about obesity, visit ItsBiggerThan.com.