The announcement from Grande’s team noted that the pop star would be taking a step back from the spotlight, because of the “endless, ongoing public scrutiny” it has led to; reinforcing that Grande is healthy. For Mazzeo, this framing, for a celebrity with such a large platform, is not only problematic, but also potentially harmful. “There’s a difference when you’re in the public eye and you’re like, ‘Hey, I’m struggling with an eating disorder’ versus I’’m the healthiest I’ve ever been and you shouldn’t assume otherwise,’” she says. While Mazzeo notes that Grande doesn’t owe us transparency on whether or not she’s dealing with an eating disorder (or another illness), it’s the constant assurance that she’s fine and healthy that’s an issue. “Because I think that is very dangerous, to be clearly malnourished and tell everybody that you’re healthy,” she says.
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