Ariana Grande just got REAL about what it’s like to be objectified by men

December 30, 2016 7:28 PM

“I am not a piece of meat.”

Ariana Grande performs onstage during Power 96.1's Jingle Ball at Philips Arena on December 16, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia.

It’s a sad fact of life: Female celebrities are objectified all the damn time. But just because it happens a lot, that doesn’t mean it’s okay—and singer Ariana Grande is speaking out.

The “Dangerous Woman” singer took to Twitter this week to call out a male fan who made “sick” sexual comments about her to her boyfriend Mac Miller—right in front of her.

“Went to pick up food with my boyfriend tonight and a young boy followed us to the car to tell Mac that he’s a big fan,” she wrote. “He was loud and excited and by the time M was seated in the driver’s seat he was literally almost in the car with us.” Ariana says she thought it was cute and exciting until the boy said, “Ariana is sexy as hell man, I see you, I see you hitting that!”

“Hitting that? The f‑‑k??” Arianna said. “This may not seem like a big deal to some of you, but I felt sick and objectified. I was also sitting right there when he said it.”

Ariana, 23, said that she felt “really quiet and hurt” afterward and says she worries that these kind of moments “contribute to women’s sense of fear and inadequacy.” She added: “I am not a piece of meat that a man gets to utilize for his pleasure. I’m an adult human being in a relationship with a man who treats me with love and respect.”

Ariana says that women should speak up about their own experiences in hopes that they will reduce the shame that often comes with them—and hopefully stop the comments from happening in the first place. “We need to share and be vocal when something makes us feel uncomfortable because if we don’t, it will just continue,” she wrote. “We are not objects or prizes. We are QUEENS.”

Apparently some people didn’t get the message, because Ariana had to follow up with this on Twitter: “Seeing a lot of ‘But look how you portray yourself in videos and in your music! You're so sexual!’ .... please hold.. next tweet... I repeat, expressing sexuality in art is not an invitation for disrespect!!! Just like wearing a short skirt is not asking for assault.”

She added, “You are literally saying that if we look a certain way, we are yours to take. But we are not!!! It's our right to express ourselves.”

You’d think this all would be obvious but, as Ariana points out, it’s not. Props to her for speaking up and saying what needed to be said.

Check out that time we hung out with body-positivity guru Ashley Graham and Christie Brinkley:

Enhance Your Pulse News Experience!

Get rewards worth up to $20 when selected to participate in our exclusive focus group. Your input will help us to make informed decisions that align with your needs and preferences.

I've got feedback!