35-year-old British actor, model, and activist Jameela Jamil has waded into the froyo-fray between singer Demi Lovato and L.A. frozen yogurt chain The Big Chill, despite Lovato already apologizing for "getting the messaging wrong," and offering to work with the company on better labeling their products.
After Demi called out the chain for what she perceived as perpetuating diet-culture in their labeling and up-front promotion of products as "low-calorie" or "sugar-free," the establishment responded by saying the foods were labeled as such for people with dietary restrictions, like diabetics for example. "I’m human and I talk about my struggles. I’m passionate, so I’m sorry that I got the messaging wrong," Lovato said on Monday in an Instagram video, but on Tuesday Jamil added her thoughts to the conversation.
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Jameela believes that Demi should not feel as though she should have to apologize for being triggered, as someone who knows all too well the effects that eating disorders can have on one's mental health. Jamil says it’s the way in which these products are marketed that needs to change.
More importantly, Jameela was "curious" about the way the Internet decided to viciously pile onto Lovato for her misunderstanding with "mockery" and "cruelty."
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In a lengthy text post on her Instagram story, Jamil wrote in part, "if an eating disorder advocate says she sees products that are positioned as guilt free, and it is potentially triggering, that doesn't mean she's too stupid to remember that diabetics exist. It just means that we need to change the marketing of products that are for people's medical needs. That's all [Demi] was asking for. It doesn't make her a monster. It doesn't mean she disregards people's illnesses. She's just one of few celebrities reminding us to look out for mental illness.”
Jamil added, "But what I was mostly curious about is watching people rush to deliberately misunderstand her intention and stance, and frame her as ignorant and careless, and inherently bad." In a follow-up post she said, "It's absolutely important to push for accountability from those in power who make mistakes, but what I'm seeing online is mostly not that. It's just mockery and cruelty, and maligning of a woman's character who is navigating unchartered territory of being super famous, super young, super outspoken, super honest and vulnerable and super fragile and strong at the same time."
Lovato responded to those words of understanding in all caps, thanking Jamil saying she is, "literally so grateful you get me and that I can call you a close friend. I love you." You can read the full exchange above.
WATCH MORE: Demi Lovato Posts Touching Tribute to Supportive Friends
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