Former 'Cosby Show' Star Raven-Symone Opens Up About Weight Loss & Struggles

Phylicia Rashad isn't the only 'Cosby Show' star slimming down.

Actress, singer/songwriter, and all around media powerhouse, Raven-Symone, who played Olivia, the adorable four-year-old stepdaughter to Denise Huxtable on the groundbreaking sitcom has been seen out and about with a noticeably slimmer frame.

In a recent interview with People magazine, the former Disney star, 25, discussed her weight loss and how she was perceived by others when she was heavier.

"I thought I looked fabulous before and nobody else did," she states.

And while many are elated by her recent weight loss, the former 'That's So Raven' star revealed that she's not entirely comfortable with her new appearance.

"Now I wear bigger clothes because I don't like the way people stare at me. I liked it before. Now, you're just looking at me for the wrong reasons."

Now, here's some added perspective on the subject:

I grew up watching 'The Cosby Show,' like so many, and from watching Raven-Symone on the show it was immediately apparent that she had that undeniable star quality. Over the years she grew from a child to a young woman right before our eyes, and while some people chose to focus on her weight, I chose to focus on that undeniable quality that I found ever-so present during her 'Cosby' days and even still today.

It's always interesting to talk to those who have shed pounds and hear their stories of being treated like second-class citizens when they were heavy, or outside of societal weight norms. But, suddenly, when they lose the weight, they are silently initiated into the "Okay you exist as a person now" club by some in society. As a society, sometimes we have these absurd demarcations as to who should be treated like a human. Sometimes it's weight. Sometimes it's a person's accent. Other times it's another particular we choose to ostracize. None of which define a person as they are in the inside or inherently indicate an inability to function in a society.

At the end of the day, Raven is an accomplished, and beautiful woman who has managed to avoid the trappings of Hollywood (sex, drugs, and rock and roll) and build a media empire and legacy that she can pass on.

Now, that's something to pay attention to.