Zendaya has recently gone into battle with media outlets who really need to check themselves into Photoshoppers Anonymous. Last month she made headlines by blasting Modeliste Magazine for altering her images for their November issue. The already flawless beauty posted the proof on her Instagram account, and she fired another round against the media during an appearance at the ACLU Southern California Bill of Rights Dinner in L.A. on Sunday. She told US Weekly that she could tell “right away” that her body was altered. The original and retouched photos were revealed last week and, among the many alterations were slimming of her hips and thighs, changes to her hair and skin tone and even the removal of her fingers from around a tree trunk. Nothing about this girl needs smoothing or removal – especially not her fingers. What gives?
The Disney channel star and singer, who is no stranger to defending herself against WTF-worthy criticisms – and has no love for record executives, for that matter – says she’s worried about what kind of example these over-altered images are setting for her young fans. She expressed her concern during Sunday’s event, saying:
There’s a lot of young people out there that needed to hear that and needed to see that and connect to it. You have no control over what the world is going to say, but like I was saying, if there’s a young person out there that needed that message and got that, then that’s who it was meant for.
By the way, Zendaya made this comment looking absolutely on point in a light gray tuxedo from Kayat. Is “suit envy” a thing? If it is, I am suffering from it right now.
This girl definitely has the right outlook, which is awesome. It’s refreshing to know that Disney is capable of bringing up a celebrity who doesn’t go completely off the rails as she comes of age. And, hey, does anyone see the name of this awful Photoshop crazy magazine and think of “Derelicte” from Zoolander? Just me? Okay.
Personal note: thanks to everyone for making me feel so welcome, I think I’m gonna like it here!
I don’t know anything about this young star, but I really like what she stands for. Kudos to her! Welcome to Celebitchy, Corey! This site is a personal addiction for me and I think you’ll love being a part of a great blog!
Re: Derelicte– I thought it was just me!!!
As for the rest, at 29 I’m aware how much retouching goes into those glossy mag photos, but as an insecure teen and early twenty-something, I had no idea. I was thin, fit and hot and couldn’t figure out why I still didn’t look like Britney and Christina.
Now I’m less thin and totally out of shape, but much more confident, which is hot in a different way. And I realize that a lot of what we see is smoke, mirrors and straight up magic. I’m glad Zendaya is shining this light on photoshop for teens. I only hope they get the message sooner rather than later.
Completely agree with you. I remember being a teen and looking at 17 magazine and crying. Particularly about the Candies ads where the model’s legs were actually cartoons they were so shopped, but I didn’t realize it at the time. I was naive and I thought it was all real. I just didn’t know why I couldn’t look like that despite all my efforts.
And guess what? I was 5’9″ teenager who played tennis every day. I looked amazing. But images like this kept me from knowing it at the time and that is a damn shame.
The weirdest thing about the photoshopping is the original looks so much better!! Sometimes the photoshopped images can improve the celebrity’s figure for the better (although I’m completely against it because it sets unrealistic goals and comparisons) but her figure looks way more incredible in the original shot.
Right? That’s what I thought too! She looked amazing in the original!
I think there’s a conspiracy that aims to turn all of us into plastic robots, and the photoshop is a way to slowly manipulate us into it. No wonder the beauty standards nowadays are blow up dolls.
I love that she’s speaking up on this. Kids today are so bombarded with photoshopped ads and retouched photos, their perspective of what is real must be so skewed.
She is so pretty and really, really stylish. I’m jealous!
“Derelicte” from Zoolander?” Stop giving Kanye’s fashion line more free press! 😉 And welcome, Corey.
“Young people needed to hear that.” Zendaya…YOU’RE young!
Kidding aside, I’m a fan of hers. Never seen a gat-durn thing she’s been in, but this kid’s for real!
I may be one of the few reasonably intelligent people who falls for all but the most egregious photoshopping. I know it exists and is used everywhere, but show me a reasonable-ish image and I believe it.
To what end are they photoshopping everyone? So that even thin, gorgeous people like Zendaya has an even slimmer, differently shaped body? Why? Who does that serve? Eating disorders are emotional, mental and physical diseases with complex sources – but simply developing disordered thinking and eating is as easy as catching a cold. Were I slightly more cynical, I might think that the editors of magazines had proof that creating a negative sense of self makes us more desperate to fill the void with things. Advertiser’s things.
Corey – Welcome! Kick off your shoes and relax. We can be a weird bunch sometimes, but I definitely think you are going to like it here. Looking forward to your posts!
She seems lovely, inside and out.
Welcome, Corey! 🙋🏼
Heil, Corey! 🙋🏻
This girl’s parents did a fantastic job. She is a well rounded, smart, talented, compassionate person. It’s very impressive and refreshing for a child star.
They really did, I don’t think I’m going to chalk this one up to Disney (honestly in spite of working almost exclusively with children I don’t think we can blame them for all the teen-celeb screw ups).
I’m giving this 100% to her parents. Proof that education and compassion are what transforms a child into a functioning and capable adult.
I like this girl. She’s very pretty and seems to be well grounded. Nice to see success hasn’t ruined her.
I absolutely love this young woman!
Yo tambien! Refreshing, isn’t she?
Also, hi AJ. 🙂
Hi MimiF! 👋🏾😘
Her and Amandla are my Carefree black Girl Woke Squad Edition
+1 unretouched photo
Also, I love the color of her suit.
Hell yeah!
Same. They give me life
So they made her look curvier in the retouched image? Ugh. Women can never win…if we’re narrow and thin like Z then we get “curvified” with Photoshop. If we’re curvier and more shapely, then we get made to look skinnier. I am so sick of all that sh*t. Zendaya is great for speaking out about it. Additionally, she looks gorgeous in that grey suit.
No, they made her already small curves disappear. The curvier image on the right is unretouched.
Still amazing.
I also have to say it makes me really happy to see her fashion choices. She never seems to be rushing to look incredibly adult and put together but rather trying different styles and having fun.
I love that it’s all just experimenting and having a good time, she looks amazing in that suit and I feel shorter just for having looked at the picture lol.
I think she’s really tall. Like 5′ 10″ or so. Love her fashion choices as well. Like you said she always looks like she’s having fun.
Suit envy is a thing. I saw Taraji wear a blue one on Empire recently. I do not have the ID. It magically made her 11 feet tall.
I had a friend (guy) who said he couldn’t wait to move to America because the women there appeared to be so much more beautiful (skin, hair, eye) than those from other countries. And I said how do you figure that having never been. He said look at the magazine covers. He thought that the women on the magazine covers looked exactly as we saw them appear on those covers. That poor, dumb guy. Now that he’s moved to the US I wonder what he thinks now.
Oh Geez…lmao.
Land of milk, honey, and 10 inch waistlines. That first day must have been a killer for him 😹
That grey-silver suit is on point. I love this girl so much. She and Amandla give me hope for this generation.
Welcome Corey!
I want this suit, I’m going to try to replicate it. Light pastel colours are my favourite. She looks so pretty and classy, my girl loves her!
…she’s morphing into Cassie ghh…
Welcome, but it’s ok to write more casually and not sound like a publicist (“flawless beauty”, “Disney channel star and singer”)! I could tell immediately the writing style was off for Celebitchy and wasn’t surprised when I scrolled down and saw who the author was. 🙂
Goodness me that suit is beautiful. My 14-year old thinks Zendaya is awesome.
Welcome Corey. Different writing styles make blogs interesting. As long as you don’t write in a “Daily Mail” style of prose, you’re alright by me!