Kaia Gerber is sharing exactly how the public’s obsession with her appearance has affected her over the years.  

In a recent interview for Vogue‘s September 2026 cover story, the 24-year-old actress and model reflected on how fans and the media default to comparing her to her mom, supermodel Cindy Crawford. 

“We’re clearly in one of those cycles right now where people are very, very, very thin,” Gerber said. “As someone who’s been thin most of my life, I’ve always been compared against my mom — like, What’s wrong with Kaia?”

Gerber shared that dealing with constant scrutiny has been difficult, especially when measured against her mom’s iconic figure. She admitted to feeling “so jealous” of Crawford’s physique. 

“I would have loved to be born with boobs and a butt. People have always commented on my body, which is hard because I’m not always ready to comment on my own body, you know?” she said before sharing her struggles with “disordered eating.”

“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,” she said. 

Gerber also spoke about frustrating ways the public judges her romantic life. She’s been dating actor Lewis Pullman for nearly two years, and considers it her most mature relationship yet. However, the media’s perception of her dating history still bothers her.

“I think I’ve been labeled in ways that are quite misogynistic: serial dater, slut, greedy,” she said. “My mom is always like, Just don’t make the same mistake twice. And I’m pretty good at not,” she continued. “I think the ultimate goal is that your relationship doesn’t change you, that you’re not code-switching between relationship, friendship, professional life.”

Even though Gerber has received more negative public attention than she prefers, Crawford has always felt confident in her daughter’s ability to handle fame. In a 2023 interview with People, Crawford praised Gerber for having a “good head on her shoulders” when it comes to maintaining her private life.

“I think that she kind of sees how my husband [Rande Gerber] and I have dealt with it throughout the years,” Crawford said. 

If you or someone you know is struggling with body image or eating concerns, confidential support is available through the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) helpline at 1-800-931-2237 or by texting “NEDA” to 741741 for 24/7 crisis support.