Kaia Gerber Says She’s Had Disordered Eating, and People Telling Her “You Look Terrible” Never Once Helped

Kaia Gerber has had disordered eating, and she says the comments strangers make about her body have hurt more than they’ve helped. The model opened up in an August 11 Vogue cover interview, reflecting on a modeling world “where people are very, very, very thin.”

Gerber started modeling younger than her mother did, booking a Young Versace campaign at 10, and says she’s spent her life being measured against Cindy Crawford. “What’s wrong with Kaia?” she recalled hearing. Gerber, 24, told Vogue she’s jealous of her mom’s body and would have loved to be born “with boobs and a butt.”

The scrutiny, she said, has been constant — and never helpful. “People have always commented on my body, which is hard because I’m not always ready to comment on my own body,” she said. “People are like, ‘You look terrible,’ and it doesn’t exactly make you go, ‘Oh, good. Let me get over this mental illness then!’ Negativity has never saved someone’s life.”

Her point: the strangers who think they’re offering a wake-up call are doing the opposite.

If you or someone you know is struggling with body image or eating concerns, the National Alliance for Eating Disorders Helpline is available at 1-866-662-1235.

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