Jameela Jamil has defended Demi Lovato after she slammed a frozen yoghurt chain for seemingly promoting diet foods.
Jameela Jamil
The 28-year-old singer – who has battled drug addiction and an eating disorder –recently posted a scathing review of The Bigg Chill in Los Angeles, whom she accused of pushing a diet culture by putting sugar-free and low-calorie foods in prominent positions in the store.
After the store responded to point out many of its products were purchased by people with specific dietary requirements such as diabetics and people with certain intolerances, Demi took to social media to apologise for “getting the messaging wrong”.
But now, Jameela has insisted Demi shouldn’t have said sorry, as she believes it’s the marketing of these products which needs to change.
The 35-year-old wrote in a lengthy Instagram post: "Ok, I want to try to avoid making the story bigger than it already is. But if an eating disorder advocate says she sees products that are positioned as guilt free, and it is potentially triggering, that doesn't mean she's too stupid to remember that diabetics exist. It just means that we need to change the marketing of products that are for people's medical needs.
“That's all @ddlovato was asking for. It doesn't make her a monster. It doesn't mean she disregards people's illnesses. She's just one of few celebrities reminding us to look out for mental illness. (sic)”
Jameela also slammed those who “rushed to deliberately misunderstand” Demi’s intentions.
She added: "But what I was mostly curious about is watching people rush to deliberately misunderstand her intention and stance, and frame her as ignorant and careless, and inherently bad.
“You're not just discouraging the person in question from making themselves vulnerable in order to help others, you're discouraging future people from doing the same. From risking the pile on in their pursuit of trying to help others.
“It's absolutely important to push for accountability from those in power who make mistakes, but what I'm seeing online is mostly not that. It's just mockery and cruelty, and maligning of a woman's character who is navigating unchartered territory of being super famous, super young, super outspoken, super honest and vulnerable and super fragile and strong at the same time."
And Demi reposted the lengthy message on her own Instagram Story, where she thanked the ‘Good Place’ star for standing up for her.
She wrote: "THANK YOU QUEEN. LITERALLY SO GRATEFUL YOU GET ME AND THAT I CAN CALL YOU A CLOSE FRIEND. I LOVE YOU. (sic)”
In her original comments, Demi accused The Bigg Chill of both enabling and praising “disordered eating”.
She fumed on her Instagram Story: "Finding it extremely hard to order froyo from [The Bigg Chill] when you have to walk past tons of sugar-free cookies/other diet foods before you get to the counter. Do better please.
"So I think I'm gonna have to make that hashtag a thing.
"I will be calling harmful messages from brands or companies that perpetuate a society that not only enables but praises disordered eating. (sic)"
She later posted an eight-minute video to apologise to those she had “disappointed” with her comments, as she clarified she is willing to “work with” the shop to “help align the messaging” on their dietary products.
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