While Nessa Barrett is no stranger to controversy on the Internet, her most recent issue is one we’re not here for.
The viral star and musician, plus on-again-off partner of Sway member, Josh Richards, recently posted a photo on Instagram, baring her stomach for the first time. The post amassed over 1.1 million likes and over 10,000 comments.
However, since making the post, Nessa has responded in a tearful Instagram live, explaining she has been “body shamed” in the comments.
“I’ve been going through my comments and it’s really hard,” she explains, “seeing people body shame me…especially when its the only photo that I’ve really ever posted with my stomach showing, which is why I cover up myself so much and wear a lot of baggy stuff and hoodies all the time.”
“I have a past with [eating disorders] and I struggle a lot with body dysmorphia, like any other person does and insecurities, I just feel like I had to say something…” she says.
Nessa is certainly not the first viral star to face extreme forms of bullying across social media, with Addison Rae and Charli D’Amelio also having spoken out against body shaming in recent months. These experiences have sparked bigger conversations about TikTok’s lack of moderation when it comes to removing trolls on the app, and how it affects mental health for the teenagers that have shot to viral stardom on the app.
Here’s hoping Nessa’s message doesn’t fall on deaf ears.
