Billie Eilish has sparked debate online after comments she made suggesting that men are rarely judged for their physical appearance. Critics accused the singer of overlooking the reality that men also experience body-shaming.
The 21-year-old artist shared her thoughts during an interview for Variety’s Power of Women issue. While discussing the intense media scrutiny she faced at age 16 after being photographed wearing a tank top, Eilish compared her experience to how she believes men are treated by society.
According to Eilish, men are generally accepted regardless of their body type. She stated that muscular, thin, average, or heavier men are all socially accepted, adding that women tend to be more compassionate and less judgmental about appearance because they value people for who they are rather than how they look.
Her remarks gained widespread attention after entertainment news account Pop Base posted a clip of the interview on X (formerly Twitter) on November 13. The post amassed 36 million views and more than 9,100 comments. While some users agreed with Eilish’s perspective, many pushed back, arguing that her comments ignored the pressures men face.
Several commenters described her statements as “tone-deaf,” noting that although women often experience harsher and more widespread body scrutiny, it is inaccurate to claim that men are never criticized. Some pointed out that men are frequently judged based on height, body shape, and overall appearance, with shorter men mentioned as a common target of ridicule.
A number of users also claimed that a community note had been added to the Pop Base post, although no such note is currently visible. Community notes are a feature on X that allows users to provide additional context if enough contributors deem it helpful. Screenshots shared online showed a note referencing earlier comments Eilish made about men in a 2019 interview.
Those screenshots appeared to reference an interview available on Pitchfork’s YouTube channel, in which Eilish made blunt remarks about women dating men she described as unattractive. In that interview, she suggested that some men become arrogant after dating attractive women and made comments about men’s looks and genital size. Over the years, many viewers criticized those remarks as hypocritical, given Eilish’s public stance against appearance-based judgment.
Some users on X defended the singer, pointing to the long history of her own objectification, which began when she was still a teenager. They argued that her experiences may have shaped her views on body scrutiny.
Eilish has previously advocated for the acceptance of “real bodies” and has spoken openly about how hurtful online comments about her appearance continue to be. Despite her advocacy, the resurfacing of past interviews has renewed criticism of her comments about others’ looks.
Representatives for Billie Eilish did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Insider.
