Ed Sheeran wore a girdle to look thinner, proving that guys majorly struggle with body image too

Lily James’ super-tiny waistline in Cinderella has sparked a lot of debate the corset (and rumored liquid diet — yikes!) that was required to create the Disney-fied silhouette. But, it turns out, girls aren’t the only ones who have to resort to medieval torture devices to look thin for the cameras.

Adorable British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran just opened up about a time he wore a girdle to suck in his stomach for an event early in his career, proving that guys aren’t safe from the insane pressures our society puts on body image.

“I tried it on for an awards show because I was wearing a shirt and my belly just went nuts,” Ed shared with The Sun newspaper. Fortunately, it sounds like Ed ultimately decided not to withstand the insane pain of a girdle just to look a little thinner in his suit. “I was just like, ‘No, this isn’t happening’. It was like a corset.”

The lesson here, of course, is that corsets and girdles and every other device meant to pack humans into shapes they naturally aren’t are uncomfortable, sometimes painful, and not worth it when you’re being sane and rational about things. Even though these so-called beauty aids have been historically associated with women, modern beauty standards and pressures even have guys turning to them. Could we just…not? You’re lovely just the way you are, we promise.

(Image via here.)