Gabourey Sidibe wows crowd with moving speech on confidence
theGRIO REPORT - In a moving speech, Gabourey Sidibe opened up about how she's tackled the negative comments she received and how she feels when people ask how she's able to remain so confident.
Gabourey Sidibe has proven that she is talented — and tough.
Ever since her breakout role in the 2009 film Precious, the 30-year-old actress has been the victim of snide remarks attacking and criticizing both her style and physique.
However, Sidibe is not phased by the critics, and instead, she’s constantly upheld a great level of esteem and confidence.
In a moving speech she delivered on Thursday at the Ms. Foundation Women Of Vision Gala in New York City, Sidibe opened up about how she’s tackled the negative comments she received and how she feels when people ask how she’s able to remain so confident.
“One of the first things people usually ask me is, ‘Gabourey, how are you so confident?’ I hate that,” she said. “I always wonder if that’s the first thing they ask Rihanna when they meet her. ‘RiRi! How are you so confident?’ Nope. No. No. But me? They ask me with that same incredulous disbelief every single time. ‘You seem so confident! How is that?’”
Sidibe shed light on some of her personal thoughts, and in doing so, she discussed some of the rude and hurtful comments she’s received.
Here’s a part of her speech, according to Vulture:
It’s hard to get dressed up for award shows and red carpets when I know I will be made fun of because of my weight. There’s always a big chance if I wear purple, I will be compared to Barney. If I wear white, a frozen turkey. And if I wear red, that pitcher of Kool-Aid that says, “Oh, yeah!” Twitter will blow up with nasty comments about how the recent earthquake was caused by me running to a hot dog cart or something. And “Diet or Die?” [She gives the finger to that] This is what I deal with every time I put on a dress. This is what I deal with every time someone takes a picture of me. Sometimes when I’m being interviewed by a fashion reporter, I can see it in her eyes, “How is she getting away with this? Why is she so confident? How does she deal with that body? Oh my God, I’m going to catch fat!”
Her speech was honest and moving — and ultimately, she revealed where she drew her inspiration from and how she has been able to overcome the teasing and the taunts she’s faced over the years.
Every day, I had to get up and go to school where everyone made fun of me, and I had to go home to where everyone made fun of me. Every day was hard to get going, no matter which direction I went. And on my way out of the house, I found strength. In the morning on the way out to the world, I passed by a portrait of my aunt and Gloria [Steinem] together. Side by side they stood, one with long beautiful hair and one with the most beautiful, round, Afro hair I had ever seen, both with their fists held high in the air. Powerful. Confident. And every day as I would leave the house… I would give that photo a fist right back. And I’d march off into battle.[She starts crying] I didn’t know that I was being inspired then. On my way home, I’d walk back up those stairs, I’d give that photo the fist again, and continue my march back in for more battle. [She pulls a tissue from her cleavage and dabs her eyes] That’s what boobs are for! I didn’t know I was being inspired then, but I was. If they could feel like that, maybe I could! I just wanted to look that cool. But it made me feel that strong.
