Sheryl Lee Ralph used a single television appearance and her toes to turn social media into one of its fiercest debates about the internet’s obsession with tearing Black women down.
The Abbott Elementary star appeared on The Jennifer Hudson Show in an effortlessly polished look that blended classic glamour with modern edge. She wore a semi-sheer blouse paired with Harbison’s Muse Pencil Skirt, a striking piece splashed with rich geometric tones of gold, brown, red, and blue. The skirt, retailing at $3,195, hugged her frame with elegance and intention. On her feet were sleek slingback heels featuring a metallic gold base, a curved clear strap across the toes, a sharp square front, and a modest flared heel that added structure without overpowering the outfit.
It should have been a fashion moment. Instead, once clips and photos began circulating online, attention shifted in a familiar and disappointing direction.
Some viewers zeroed in on Sheryl Lee’s feet, visible through the clear heels, and began making cruel comments about a slight deformity on her right foot, where her fourth toe is shorter and set back. The remarks spread quickly, ranging from mocking jokes to outright insults, turning a celebratory style moment into another example of how quickly online spaces can turn unkind.
Sheryl Lee Ralph did not ignore it. She addressed the chatter directly on X, offering a response that was both deeply personal and quietly powerful.
She acknowledged that for much of her life, she carried shame about her foot. She hid it. She questioned it. She allowed it to make her feel smaller than she was. But she made it clear that those days are behind her. Today, she chooses gratitude instead. Gratitude for her body. Gratitude for every toe. Gratitude for the feet that carried her through miles of living, loving, enduring, and becoming.
“I know people can be unkind because, for a long time, I carried shame about my one foot. I hid it. I questioned it. I let it make me feel smaller than I was. But now, I choose gratitude instead. I am thankful for this foot, for all five of its funny little toes. They are mine. They belong to my body and my story.
This foot has carried me through miles of living, loving, enduring, and becoming. It has stood firm when I was unsure. It has moved me forward when standing still would have been easier. There is nothing to be ashamed of in what has held me up.
I honor it. I honor myself. And I walk on, lighter, knowing that what is true about me has always been worthy of being seen.”
At 67, Sheryl Lee Ralph continues to stand as a symbol of grace, confidence, and resilience. She has spent decades breaking barriers in entertainment, surviving rejection, and claiming space in an industry that often tries to shrink Black women. This moment was no different. What could have been reduced to internet cruelty became a lesson in self-worth.
