Billie Eilish Took Off Her Shirt In A Concert Video To Make A Statement About Body Shaming

Being a young woman in the entertainment industry comes with its own set of challenges. Billie Eilish, who only turned 18 years old a few months ago, has been open about her thoughts on how her body is perceived and treated, and has come out against body shaming. She expanded upon that at her concert in Miami last night, where she debuted an interlude video during which she strips down to her bra and gives a speech about her body.

As Eilish’s monologue was heard over an ambient instrumental, the video began with Eilish dressed in baggy clothes that are typical of her style, and over the course of the clip, she removes her clothing until she is down to her bra.

Eilish’s speech concluded, “If I wear what is comfortable, I am not a woman. If I shed the layers, I’m a slut. Though you’ve never seen my body, you still judge it and judge me for it. Why? We make assumptions about people based on their size. We decide who they are, we decide what they’re worth. If I wear more, If I wear less, who decides what that makes me? What that means? If my value based only on your perception? Or is your opinion of me not my responsibility?”

Watch fan-shot footage of the video above, and read the full text of Eilish’s monologue below.

“You have opinions
about my opinions,
about my music,
about my clothes,
about my body.
Some people hate what I wear,
some people praise it,
some people use it to shame others,
some people use it to shame me,
but I feel you watching
always
and nothing I do goes unseen.
So while I feel your stares,
your disapproval
or your sigh of relief,
if I lived by them,
I’d never be able to move.
Would you like me to be smaller?
Weaker?
Softer?
Taller?
Would you like me to be quiet?
Do my shoulders provoke you?
Does my chest?
Am I my stomach?
My hips?
The body I was born with,
is it not what you wanted?
If I wear what is comfortable,
I am not a woman.
If I shed the layers,
I’m a slut.
Though you’ve never seen my body,
you still judge it
and judge me for it.
Why?
We make assumptions about people
based on their size.
We decide who they are,
we decide what they’re worth.
If I wear more,
If I wear less,
who decides what that makes me?
What that means?
If my value based only on your
perception?
Or is your opinion of me
not my responsibility?”