No, Hilary Duff Has Not 'Aged Like A Fine Wine'

Lizzie McGuire has grown up, but the way we talk about women's bodies has barely changed.
Emma McIntyre via Getty Images

Hilary Duff’s Women’s Health cover shoot has caused quite the stir. The star and mother of three, who found fame as a teenager in the Disney Channel’s Lizzy McGuire, is posing nude.

‘Who cares?’ we hear you say. Well, a lot of people, actually.

Though some are championing the beauty of her photos, others are questioning if it was really necessary for her to get naked.

The pictures have clearly caused a division, but do we always need to have an opinion on what women do with their bodies?

Whenever a woman chooses to get naked, there’s always a discussion around it. Of course no celebrity is exempt from critique, but why do we always feel the need to comment on their choices? Women have the freedom to be able to do what they want with their bodies, when they want.

The commentary hasn’t even stopped with the nudity thing, with people bringing Duff’s age into the conversation, even when it sounds like a compliment.

Call it Lizzie McGuire fans who can’t believe it’s been almost two decades since their favourite show wrapped, but suggesting Duff has “aged like fine wine”?

(FYI, she’s only 34).

Hilary Duff has aged like a fine wine 🍷 pic.twitter.com/KDJzL3troj

— Lizzie McGuire (@ImLizzieM) May 10, 2022

People really think you turn 30 and evaporate into dust

— Adam ElIis (@adamtotscomix) May 10, 2022

Readers are also chewing over the contents of the interview inside the cover. The article focuses on Duff growing to accept her body and rejecting “Hollywood’s standards”.

“I’m proud of my body. I’m proud that it’s produced three children for me,” she says. “I’ve gotten to a place of being peaceful with the changes my body has gone through. I also want people to know a makeup artist was there putting glow all over my body and someone put me in the most flattering position.”

This is all good news – we’re happy for Duff, who’s spoken about struggling with an eating disorder when she was 17. And we also applaud her honesty about the way these cover shoots work.

It’s the framing that people have questions about. After all, this is a regular, cis-bodied, slim white woman.

And as many have pointed out, Duff can celebrate her body without it being held up as an example of rejecting ‘Hollywood’s standards’.

Lizzie McGuire might be all grown up, but the way we talk about women’s bodies has barely changed in decades.

This is the body of a woman who has gone thru changes?! Struggled to live up to Hollywood standards? GIVE ME A BREAK.

— Virginia (@Virgini98900230) May 10, 2022

I’m happy for her and everything…but to have had three kids and have a perfect body like that? No stretch marks? I’m glad she has the money and genetics for all this, but to paint her as like, brave or something for accepting her body is ridiculous

— ✨Rory O’Shea✨ (@brevolve) May 10, 2022

If this is not Hollywood standards then WTF is it? This makes no sense? If you want to frame something as being 'body positive' put someone up here that doesn't look 100% fit and gorgeous as can be. OR just say Hillary lookin fine as hell and is straight up happy with it.

— Christie Maness (@KrysNyte) May 12, 2022

Can we stop sharing the Hilary Duff/Women’s Health cover? Not only is it not promoting inclusive body image in the least (a thin, white airbrushed woman), the other cover story headlines are full of diet culture rich language. It really doesn’t deserve the face time.

— Stephanie Lueras (@HSFitnessLueras) May 11, 2022

She's conventionally beautiful, her body size and shape is the ideal. This perpetuates unrealistic and expected standards for women; it doesn't contribute to accepting diverse bodies. She can be proud but all that is true.

— ViolaKaur (@viola_kaur) May 12, 2022
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