Selena Gomez is a national treasure, one of the most universally loved celebrities around. She’s been in the entertainment industry for as long as we can remember, starring on Barney as a child before moving onto Disney Channel and eventually even bigger productions. Recently, Gomez’s documentary My Mind & Me gave insight into her health struggles over the years as well as how the industry has affected her body and weight image.
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The documentary spans six years so the audience visibly watches her growth and maturity blossom. This has only been emphasized now, in 2023 and Gomez is ready to clap back at the haters. After attending the Golden Globes, Gomez encountered some criticism about her appearance, and she handled it with honesty, grace, and humor.
Selena Gomez’s Health Battle and How It Affects Her Life
In 2015, Gomez revealed that she has lupus, an auto-immune disease that led to needing a kidney transplant. Her best friend and fellow actress Francia Raisa was a successful match and agreed to donating a kidney to the "Lose You to Love Me" singer. While the operation was successful for both women this wasn’t the only complication stemming from Gomez's diagnosis. In 2016, the Only Murders in the Building star opened up about her anxiety and depression triggered by her battle with Lupus.
This was only the start of her mental health journey. In her Apple TV+ documentary Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me, she revealed that in 2018 she had an episode of psychosis. While she recovered from this potentially life-altering episode, shortly after she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She is now being treated through medication and therapy.
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The last decade of Gomez’s life has been littered with challenges and struggles from both physical and mental health. These struggles are what inspired the beauty brand Rare Beauty. The Rare Beauty packaging is user-friendly, making it easy for people with disabilities to handle. This is a huge step forward in combatting ableism in the beauty space. Meanwhile, proceeds from the brand go toward mental health; the Fund is set to raise $100 million over the next ten years!
Selena Gomez’s Support of the Body Positivity Movement
Being one of the most followed accounts on Instagram, Gomez's comment section is flooded with praise – but also with criticism. Like most celebrities who grew up in the spotlight, everyone has something to say about the way she changes over time. Aging and growing up can be awkward and hard to navigate, and for people like Gomez who go through this publicly, it’s even more difficult to hold back self-judgment.
That being said, Gomez is done taking trolls at face value and she’s clapping back! Known for advocating body positivity for her fans (and haters alike), she’s now advocating for herself. After her red-carpet appearance at the 2023 Golden Globes, the 30-year-old star was told she gained weight. Later that night on an Instagram Live with her younger sister Gracie Elliot Teefey, Gomez said, “I’m a little bit big right now because I enjoyed myself during the holidays.”
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But this isn’t the first time she talks about her experience with toxic online culture and body shaming. In April 2022, Gomez posted a TikTok where she opens up about weight gain. “So I be trying to stay skinny, but I went to Jack in the Box and I got four tacos, three egg rolls, onion rings and a spicy chicken sandwich.”
She says, “But honestly, I don’t care about my weight because people bitch about it anyway: ‘You’re too small.’ ‘You’re too big.’ ‘That doesn’t fit.’ ‘Meh meh meh meh.’”
In a powerful final statement, Gomez encapsulated her maturity towards the subject, “Bitch, I am perfect the way I am. Moral of the story? Bye.”
How Can Celebrities Shift Social Media Toward Body-Acceptance
Celebrities like Selena Gomez and Lili Reinhart who speak out against toxic body culture online are changing the way we accept what we see from influencers with large platforms.
Lili Reinhart called out Kim Kardashian after her Met Gala weight loss to fit into the Happy Birthday Marilyn Monroe dress. After the Kardashian claimed to diet severely and work out an obscene amount to fit into the dress, Lili Reinhart took to her Instagram story to call her out on promoting unhealthy relationships with our body, with food and with fitness. This isn’t the first time she’s brought up the topic.
Gomez has always preached about self-acceptance, self-esteem, positive body talk, and more. But it takes more than just two celebrities to make a difference. A handful of others contribute to this notion, but it’s very few compared to those who actually contribute to the problem.
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Rather than staying silent and encouraging young women to succumb to the pressures of Hollywood standards, we should teach what we see online isn’t always a reflection of reality. We bestow upon them a standard that’s unachievable, something only attained through unhealthy means or editing. These practices go against the idea of self-acceptance and can cause detrimental mental and physical damage to the young girls who participate.
If we’re going to praise celebrities and put them on a pedestal, let’s choose to do so with celebrities who have something to say. Let's praise those who use their platform as a safe space to heal and encourage followers to go against dangerous trends they see online.
We give credence to those who mimic what we want to see in ourselves rather than emphasizing the people who preach self-love first. Gomez is setting an example to all women: To value the wellness and safety of their fans over aesthetics.
