Ariana Grande speaks out.
The pop superstar took to Twitter on Tuesday (Dec. 27) to reveal how an encounter with a young male fan made her feel “objectified.”
According to the “Side to Side” singer, the young fan followed her and her boyfriend Mac Miller out of a restaurant, claiming to be a “big fan” of the rapper. He added: “Ariana is sexy as hell man. I see you. I see you hitting that.”
“Hitting that?” Ariana wrote. “the fuck??”
In her letter to fans, Grande went on to say that she “felt sick and objectified” by the statement. “I’ve felt really quiet and hurt since that moment.” She noted that moments like this “happen all the time and are the kinds of moments that contribute to women’s sense of fear and inadequacy.”
“I am not a piece of meat that a man gets to utilize for his pleasure,” she added. “I’m an adult human being in a relationship with a man who treats me with love and respect.”
https://twitter.com/ArianaGrande/status/813957803136208897
Some criticized the pop star’s outrage, noting that sexuality is part of her public image. “Expressing sexuality in art is not an invitation for disrespect,” she clapped back. “just like wearing a short skirt is not asking for assault…Our bodies, our clothing, our music, our personalities….. sexy, flirty, fun. it is not. an open. invitation.”
Another fan asked her what Mac did in the situation. “although this isn’t about his reaction, he drove the fuck away,” she replied. “he is a sweet bear & I am falling asleep feeling safe & loved.”
https://twitter.com/ArianaGrande/status/813972731020644353
Mac and Ariana have been the source of romantic rumors since 2013 when they collaborated on “The Way.” While they haven’t been together since then, the couple went public with their romance in August. More recently, they have collaborated on songs like “My Favorite Part” off Miller’s album The Divine Feminine.