Lizzo reflects on body positivity and media scrutiny in 2026 podcast

In a raw and emotional episode of the Reclaiming podcast released on Monday, Lizzo sat down with host Monica Lewinsky to discuss the toxic history of body scrutiny in the media.

The thirty-seven-year-old singer revealed she is "deeply offended" when looking back at how women’s bodies were discussed during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Lizzo specifically cited the infamous 2009 "mom jeans" controversy involving Jessica Simpson, noting that the "intense and strict" standards of that era created a "harsh" environment that actively sought to deny women their agency based on their physical appearance alone.

Lizzo shared that during her own rise to fame, she felt she had to be "undeniably talented" and "undeniably beautiful" just to be allowed "at the door," knowing her body would otherwise be used as a reason to dismiss her.

Addressing recent commentary regarding her own physical changes, she clarified that her current health habits are a result of self-love rather than a rejection of her previous message.

"Mine came from changing certain habits in my life so I can enjoy being in my body physically," she told Lewinsky, "and I think that you can only achieve that by loving yourself."

The conversation also touched on the disconnect between public persona and private reality. Monica Lewinsky, who has spent decades reclaiming her own narrative after being publicly caricatured, found common ground with Lizzo on the challenge of authoring one's story when the world has already written a version of it.

Lizzo concluded the interview by redefining body positivity for 2026, stating that the movement is about embracing the fact that "your body is going to change every single day," and that true empowerment comes from keeping up with that evolution through consistent self-advocacy.