Lizzo's speech about size representation after winning her first Emmy is an ode to the 'big grrrls'

It's about damn time! Lizzo moved one step closer to EGOT status on Monday by winning the Emmy for outstanding competition program for her Amazon series "Lizzo's Watch Out for the Big Grrrls." According to CNN, the series follows the Grammy-winning artist's search for backup dancers to join her world tour. The 34-year-old got teary while delivering a powerful speech on stage at the 2022 Emmy Awards this week, using the opportunity to highlight the importance of on-screen representation and candidly sharing how she desperately wanted to see someone who looked like her on-screen as a young girl. The singer also encouraged producers, directors and writers to "tell more stories" of people who look like her.

"I wanna say thank you to the Emmys and the Emmys voters, first of all. I'm very emotional," Lizzo started her speech, urging all the dancers from "Watch Out For The Big Grrrls"—who were cheering for her from the balcony—to make their way to the stage to stand beside her while she accepted the honor. "The trophy is nice, but my emotion is for these people who are on this stage with me, the stories that they shared, they're not that unique; they just don't get the platform. Telling stories. Let's just tell more stories."

Lizzo went on to recall how as a young Black girl, she didn't see anyone in media who looked like her and that she ultimately realized she might have to be the one to make that change happen. "When I was a little girl, all I wanted to see was me in the media. Someone fat like me, Black like me, beautiful like me. If I could go back and tell little Lizzo something, I'd be like, 'You're gonna see that person but b*tch it's gonna have to be you.' Where are about my big girls? Are they here? Come, come! One year ago, one year ago, these women were filming this television show that would change their lives forever," she said.

"They are Emmy-award-winning superstars who are going on a world tour. Make some noise for my big girls. I love you guys so much. Daddy, I love you, oh my God. God bless y'all. This is for the big girls. L-I-Z-Z-O-B-I-G-G-G-R-L-S, we the best! Ay! Thank you so much," Lizzo concluded. Sharing a video of her acceptance speech on Twitter, the "Truth Hurts" singer wrote: "This is for the big grrrls who now live in a world w a little more representation. Where they are treated w respect. To not be the punchline of a tiredass fat joke. To be loved. To be talented. To be great. We do this because representation changes the culture & can change lives."

Lizzo's words struck a chord with many online, with social media users sharing how they too wished they'd grown up seeing people like themselves on-screen. "You are my hero! If someone like you had been around 50 yrs ago, a lot of the lives lost of ppl trying to get skinny, killing themselves bcs nobody recognized their worth, a lot of lives would have been saved," tweeted @smarter37571226.