Raven Symone spoke candidly about her childhood issues with her weight and said she wishes she were being raised in today’s society, which she deems more accepting of all body types. The 31-year-old former co-host of The View sat with People.com Wednesday (Aug. 9) and said as child being shamed for the size of her body led to a weakened mental state.
“I wish I was living now as a younger person,” Symone said. “I probably wouldn’t have so many mental issues.”
In 2015 while still with The View, Symone opened up about life on set of the beloved Cosby Show and said even at 7-years-old restrictions were placed on the types of foods she was allowed to eat.
“It was definitely hard,” she said on The View. “I remember not being able to have the bagel or anything at – we would call it crafty, where it’s just a table of food, ready for you to eat whatever you want. And I remember people would be like, ‘You can’t eat that. You’re getting fat!’ I’m like, ‘I’m 7! I’m hungry!’ ”
As a childhood actress who made her name with the Disney Channel’s That’s So Raven as well as a singer, Symone remembers even being ridiculed for her size while on tour.
“[They said] I was too big to be doing an hour and a half concert. ‘I don’t know how she can dance being that big.’ And I was like, ‘I still did it!’ ” Raven-Symoné recalls. “I was on tour forever because it’s not about your size, it’s about what you have to say, if you can sing or dance, and performing. It’s not about your size.”
Having stepped away from The View to executive produce the That’s So Raven reboot, Symone says in this age people are more accepting of bodies of all sizes.
I love embracing your body,” she tells PEOPLE Now. “In this day and age you have all kinds, and it’s funny, it’s serious, it’s every color, it’s every head shape, it’s every hair. And there’s androgyny, and there’s LGBT coming in, and it feels good. We didn’t have it enough last time and I guess that’s what the past is for — to make sure the present is what it needs to be.”