Photo: getty
Body shaming is so unnecessary.
By Micki Spollen — Written on Aug 09, 2018
A photo of Grant Gustin’s new “Flash” suit leaked, and its fit on Gustin’s body is causing some trolls to body shame the actor.
The photo shows Gustin in a new prototype of The Flash’s costume for Season 5 of the show, which although is apparently more “comic accurate” is not what fans want. While the original suit including leather features had a chin strap and a more muted red color, the new Flash costume is a much more vibrant red, lacks a chin strap, and is made of a spandex-like material.
Almost right away, fans commented on the leaked photo attacking not only the new costume prototype, but also Gustin’s body. “Yikes the test photo suit doesn’t look good. I actually prefer the chin strap. Grant Gustin doesn’t have a superhero chin or physique,” one fan wrote, according to People.
Photo: Twitter
Unfortunately for women, especially those in Hollywood, body shaming is nothing new. We’re constantly bombarded with “news” that someone is too thin, someone is too big, someone’s lips aren’t the right size, etc.
While male actors don’t typically face as much scrutiny about their bodies, there absolutely are cases of an actor’s “dad bod” being picked on or someone accused of being “on drugs” for being too thin.
In this instance, fans of The Flash dragged Gustin for not having the typical superhero look — that is, I’m assuming, huge Superman-esque arm muscles, rock hard abs, and 6’5” frame.
However, the actor didn’t let it go.
Gustin posted a response to the body shaming on Instagram, first mentioning that the Flash costume isn’t in its final stages. More important, he called out the double standard of it being okay to talk about a man’s body but not a woman’s.
“I’ve had 20+ years of kids and adults telling me or my parents I was too thin. I’ve had my own journey of accepting it,” he wrote. “I do my best to stay in shape and add as much size as I can throughout these seasons. I’m naturally thin, and my appetite is greatly affected by stress.”
The actor then went on to explain that he’s proud of his body as it is because it inspires other people who watch the show to be proud of their bodies as well.
“The should be able to feel like THEY could be a superhero on TV or film or whatever it may be someday,” Gustin wrote. “I love the suit that has been designed for me, and I think when everyone sees it in its entirety, you will love it too.”
Season 5 of The Flash is set to air on October 9, 2018 on The CW, complete with new costume.
Micki Spollen is a YourTango editor, writer, and traveler. Follow her on Instagram and keep up with her travels on her website.