‘Dancing with the Stars’ professional Cheryl Burke responds to weight critics

Cheryl Burke just learned about the impact of online criticism.

The 30-year-old Dancing with the Stars professional received several hateful comments on a recent Facebook post, reports TMZ. The controversy sparked after Burke shared a vacation photo in which she’s lost a considerable amount of weight.

The sudden backlash came as a surprise to Burke, who has since spoken out about the emotional impact of her peers’ remarks.

“It’s one thing to see negative comments about yourself in the press, it’s another to be criticized by individual people on your own social media pages,” Burke said in an article written by Yahoo TV. “It’s more personal, it hurts.” And while it is clear that Burke was briefly shaken up by the overwhelming response to her post, the site mentioned she has been able to move past the situation. Burke also emphasized she won’t give up using her social media accounts because of the “haters.”

Criticism on Burke’s post varied greatly, according to The Hollywood Gossip. Some users felt Burke had become “anorexic,” while others wondered if she was “dying of AIDS.” Additionally, users made comments about Burke’s seemingly fuller lips, asking if she had enhanced them with “plastic surgery.”

In an article published by Mail Online, Burke slammed the accusations, insisting that she was both “happy and healthy.” The site also mentioned that Burke has given up her old drinking and partying habits, which has been a highly influential factor in her recent weight loss. Burke has been publicly called out over weight issues in the past.

Image via ACE/INFphoto.com and Facebook from Cheryl Burke