In a new interview with Jameela Jamil, Sam Smith opened up about his lifelong struggles with body image-and having liposuction at just 12 years old.
The interview, the first in Jameela's new Instagram TV show, I Weigh Interviews, gave Sam, 26, the opportunity to speak up about something that's often overlooked: body image issues in men. "I haven't really found many men talking about this," Sam said. "Even doing this chat feels kind of weird, because guys dont speak about this that much on a big scale."
Sam said his body image issues began "from since I can remember, like since I was a baby," but his pre-teen years were when he was most self-conscious. "When I was a kid, I was chubby...and I was holding a lot of weight in my chest," Sam said. "When I hit 11 years old, I went to the doctors. I was so self-conscious that it was affecting my mood every day.
View this post on Instagram Protect @samsmith at all costs! Head to my IGTV to see this bloody beautiful, VERY candid interview from @samsmith A TOTAL HERO! @i_weigh A post shared by Jameela Jamil (@jameelajamilofficial) on Mar 15, 2019 at 9:11am PDT
Soon after, Sam had liposuction on his chest-at just 12 years old. "At the time I think I was very happy about it," Sam said, but apparently the procedure didn't have a lasting effect. "I think I put the weight back on in two weeks because I hadnt figured out my relationship with food, so it didnt really change anything. But being 12 years old and having liposuction on your chest is quite a big deal."
Later in the interview, Sam said his body image issues didn't end with childhood, and that he still struggles with body image issues today. "Its the basis of all my sadness," Sam said. "Literally everything Ive ever been sad about is my weight. I struggle with it every day." (Though, earlier today Sam posted the interview on Twitter and said it "completely changed [his] life.")
As brave and personal as his interview with Jameela was, it wasn't the first time Sam spoke up about his body images. In February, Sam shared an Instagram post about constantly being at war with his body.
View this post on Instagram In the past if I have ever done a photo shoot with so much as a t-shirt on, I have starved myself for weeks in advance and then picked and prodded at every picture and then normally taken the picture down. Yesterday I decided to fight the fuck back. Reclaim my body and stop trying to change this chest and these hips and these curves that my mum and dad made and love so unconditionally. Some may take this as narcissistic and showing off but if you knew how much courage it took to do this and the body trauma I have experienced as a kid you wouldnt think those things. Thank you for helping me celebrate my body AS IT IS @ryanpfluger I have never felt safer than I did with you. Ill always be at war with this bloody mirror but this shoot and this day was a step in the right fucking direction A post shared by Sam Smith (@samsmith) on Feb 12, 2019 at 10:15am PST
"In the past if I have ever done a photoshoot with so much as a t-shirt on, I have starved myself for weeks in advance and then picked and prodded at every picture and then normally taken the picture down," he wrote.
But the day before he shared the Instagram post, he decided to "fight the f*ck back" and "reclaim [his] body." He finished the post by saying, "Ill always be at war with this bloody mirror but this shoot and this day was a step in the right f-ing direction."
Kudos to Sam (and Jameela) for bringing awareness to the topic of body image issues-I can only hope it sparks more similar conversations.
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: news@pulselive.co.ke
