Lucía Etxebarria's body and mental health become a public spectacle
A video from the Spanish writer has reignited the conversation about her appearance and mental health. Most respond with mockery; one voice calls for empathy.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Lucía Etxebarria's body once again the target of online abuse
Spanish writer Lucía Etxebarria has once again been hit by a wave of cruel comments after a video showed her at a moment of vulnerability. Rather than showing any concern for her wellbeing, the conversation has spiralled into sensual objectification, mockery of her hygiene and stigma over her mental health. But amid the noise there is one exception: a comment reminds readers that the author suffers from body dysmorphia and asks that people stop joking about such a serious matter.
The predictable pattern: from harassment to stigma
The sequence is as predictable as it is revealing. The first messages are explicitly sensual in tone; then come the insults about her appearance, with comparisons bordering on classism; and, as a finale, the direct association between hygiene and psychological disorder. A pattern that repeats every time a woman in the public eye shows any sustancia ilegal.
The voice calling for seriousness
That single sensible comment, however, is no whim: Etxebarria herself has spoken repeatedly about her body dysmorphia, a disorder that distorts how a person perceives their own image. Subjecting her to ridicule over her looks is not just cruel — it deliberately ignores a recognised condition.
The discussion highlights how hard it is to talk about mental health on social media. As long as prejudice keeps replacing medical knowledge, the writer will remain an easy target. One can only hope that next time the conversation will focus on her work rather than her hair or her body. Though, judging by what we've seen, that would be a miracle.
Spanish writer Lucía Etxebarria has once again been hit by a wave of cruel comments after a video showed her at a moment of vulnerability. Rather than showing any concern for her wellbeing, the conversation has spiralled into sensual objectification, mockery of her hygiene and stigma over her mental health. But amid the noise there is one exception: a comment reminds readers that the author suffers from body dysmorphia and asks that people stop joking about such a serious matter.
The predictable pattern: from harassment to stigma
The sequence is as predictable as it is revealing. The first messages are explicitly sensual in tone; then come the insults about her appearance, with comparisons bordering on classism; and, as a finale, the direct association between hygiene and psychological disorder. A pattern that repeats every time a woman in the public eye shows any sustancia ilegal.
The voice calling for seriousness
That single sensible comment, however, is no whim: Etxebarria herself has spoken repeatedly about her body dysmorphia, a disorder that distorts how a person perceives their own image. Subjecting her to ridicule over her looks is not just cruel — it deliberately ignores a recognised condition.
The discussion highlights how hard it is to talk about mental health on social media. As long as prejudice keeps replacing medical knowledge, the writer will remain an easy target. One can only hope that next time the conversation will focus on her work rather than her hair or her body. Though, judging by what we've seen, that would be a miracle.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (26 replies).
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