Gouri Kishen on body shaming incident: Grateful for standing my ground in a difficult situation

Actress Gouri Kishen said she was grateful for standing up against a body shaming remark during a press conference, adding that artists must not face inappropriate questions about their appearance and calling for greater sensitivity in media interactions.

Chennai: Malayalam actress Gouri Kishen, who stood up to a YouTuber who posed a body shaming question during a recent press conference, has now issued a statement in which she has said that she was grateful for being able to stand her ground in a difficult situation.

The actress, who has had support coming from various quarters including the Nadigar Sangam, the AMMA Association and the Chennai Press club, in her statement said, “During a press conference earlier this week, an exchange took place between myself and a YouTube vlogger that became unexpectedly tense. I believe it is important to acknowledge the broader issue behind it so that we can collectively reflect on the kind of relationship we want to encourage between artists and the media.”

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The actress went on to say, “As a public figure, I understand that scrutiny is part of my profession. However, comments or questions – direct or indirect that target a person’s body or appearance are inappropriate in any context. I wish I had been asked questions about the film-the work I was there for.”

Suggesting that there was a bias against actresses, Gouri wondered if whether male actors would be asked the same questions in the same aggressive tone.

Gouri said, “I cannot help but wonder if they would ask a male actor the same, in the same aggressive tone. I am grateful for being able to stand my ground in a difficult situation, it was important not only for myself but for anyone who has faced the same.”

Stating that normalising body shaming in jest was not new but still prevalent, the actress said, “I hope this will be a reminder to anyone who has felt this way that we are allowed to speak up. We are allowed to express our discomfort, question when wronged, and work towards stopping this cycle.”

The actress, while stating that this was not an invitation to target the individual involved, said that she was deeply grateful for all the support she had received. “It was unexpected, overwhelming and humbling. Thank you to the Chennai Press Club, AMMA Association (Malayalam Film Industry), South India Nadigar Sangam for your statements. Thank you to the press and media, and to the public for your unwavering support. Thank you to everyone in the industry who has reached out and stood in solidarity – to my contemporaries, colleagues, and friends,” she said.