IN ORDER TO celebrate the one-year anniversary of the I Weigh movement – a body-positive platform established by Jameela Jamil – the actress and advocate has launched the I Weigh Interviews.
This week, Jameela interviewed her first guest – multi award-winning singer and songwriter, Sam Smith.
In an in-depth conversation on body image, which has been shared on the I Weigh Instagram page, the 26-year-old singer told Jameela that he underwent liposuction at the age of 12.
“When I was a kid, I was chubby,” Sam told Jameela. “But when I say kid, I mean five or six-years-old. It would get worse and worse and worse. I was holding a lot of weight in my chest.”
Then when I hit 11-years-old, I went to the doctors. My mum – she was very clever about it. I was so self conscious that it was affecting my mood every day and my life as a teenager.
“She went to the doctors. They examined my body and examined by chest, and I was holding a lot of estrogen in my chest.”
“I genuinely had breasts. I fully had breasts,” he told Jameela. “I had liposuction. I was 12 years-old, and had liposuction.”
I had some horrible situations in school with guys where a guy grabbed my chest once in the playground in front of all his friends. It was horrible. It was f*cked up.
The interview explored myriad other issues surrounding body image including bullying, dysfunctional eating and body dysmorphia, as well as examining the impact fame has had on Sam’s life.
“If I had the chance to do this all again, I would not do this. I wouldn’t,” he said. “Part of my life died.”
Sam and Jameela’s candour on the subjects of weight, gender, sexuality, and mental health has been met with huge praise as Instagram users have flooded the page with positive feedback.
This interview was absolutely amazing. I’m so proud of him for talking about this, not many men do. I love you Sam.
This is one of the most inspiring interviews I have ever seen. @samsmith is so honest and wise and vulnerable. The rawness of his feelings brought me to tears. Wonderful to hear anyone speaking like this never mind a famous man.
This whole conversation was so special. I started to cry halfway through. I have never heard people speak so candidly about the issues that weigh me down every day.