Selena Gomez Stands Strong Against Body-Shaming

Body Image and Self-Love

We live in 2024 but still haven’t gotten rid of body-shamers. Online critics don’t leave anyone alone, whether it’s a celebrity we’re talking about or an Instagram influencer.

A similar incident occurred online when critics commented on Selena Gomez’s body and posture. To find out more on the topic, keep reading.

What Happened?

Selena Gomez recently attended the premiere of her film “Emilia Perez” at the American French Film Festival in Los Angeles. The singer was dressed in an elegant black long-sleeved Carolina Herrera dress.

However, this isn’t what caught everyone’s eye. The singer had sprawled her hand over her stomach raising questions about why she was in such a posture.

Speculations

Selena Gomez has always been a target of shameful body-shaming comments and of course, this time was no different. The on-lookers, including the media and people online, were quick to judge.

Baseless assumptions were made and everyone said that Selena was trying to hide her body because she was embarrassed of her tummy and didn’t like how her dress fitted her body.

Selena’s Response

Selena Gomez was utterly disgusted by these allegations and assumptions. Selena replied to the comments by saying, “This makes me sick. I have SEBO in my small intestine.”

“It flares up. I don’t care that I don’t look like a stick figure. I don’t have that body. End of story. No, I am NOT a victim. I’m just human.”

What is SEBO?

The condition that Selena has, SEBO, according to the Mayo Clinic refers to the growth of small intestinal bacteria. This condition causes issues with the digestive tract making it difficult to digest food and slows down the whole digestion process.

Due to this medical condition, the affected can suffer from extreme stomach discomfort, bloating which happened in Selena’s case, and the problem of malnutrition in a worst-case scenario.

Lupus Diagnosis

The Wizards of Waverly Place actress was diagnosed with Lupus in the year 2013. The news came out two years after the diagnosis in 2015.

The actress told the news to the world in an interview with Billboard. She said, “I was diagnosed with lupus, and I’ve been through chemotherapy. That’s what my break was really about. I could’ve had a stroke.”

Mental Health Struggles

Lupus is a severe medical condition and Selena was deeply disturbed about her condition. She had to cancel her tour because she didn’t yet feel comfortable standing in front of the entire world.

Gomez told People in 2016, “I’ve discovered that anxiety, panic attacks, and depression can be side effects of lupus, which can present their own challenges”. For many lupus patients, the condition would affect their mental health and the singer was no exception.

Kidney Transplant

Everyone knew about Selena Gomez’s 2017 kidney transplant. Her beloved friend, Francia Raisa, was her kidney donor.

The singer shared the news via Instagram, sharing a picture with her friend. She captioned the post saying, “There aren’t words to describe how I can possibly thank my beautiful friend Francia Raisa.”

“She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me. I am incredibly blessed. I love you so much sis”.

Selena’s Vigor

Even though Selena experienced so much at such a young age, she was still standing stronger than ever. In an interview in 2017, Gomez said, “I don’t want people to think it’s a sad thing that I went through this with Francia or with anything in my life.”

“I think all of the stuff that I went through made me and defined everything that I am right now. It’s a really beautiful thing and I have to remind myself of that. It’s not a negative experience”.

Weight Gain Because of Lupus

As mentioned earlier, Selena has been a constant victim of body shaming after being diagnosed with Lupus. The medicine she takes for her autoimmune disease led to her gaining weight.

She opened up on TikTok saying, “I tend to hold a lot of water weight and that happens very normally. And then when I’m off it I tend to kind of lose weight”.

Handling Things With Grace

Selena Gomez, without a doubt, is the epitome of grace and elegance, especially with the way she handled things, both online and in real life, from her health to all the constant body-shaming comments.

She told the camera, “I just wanted to say and encourage anyone out there who feels any sort of shame for exactly what [you’re] going through, [when] nobody knows the real story… you’re beautiful and you’re wonderful.” This shows how wonderful as a person Selena is.

A Source of Motivation

The way Selena Gomez has been open about her health struggles continues to be a source of motivation and inspiration for others. For starters, she didn’t shy away from her disease and shared it openly with the world.

She shared how her medication made her feel bad but it’s what was keeping her healthy and sound. Therefore, she would rather be healthy and take her medication to live a better life.

Public Scrutiny

Selena has struggled with body image for half of her life and the public hasn’t shied away from dishing out their personal opinions. The moment, the Wolves singer would upload a picture, the comments filled up with harsh comments.

In her docuseries, Selena Gomez explained, “I would go online and I would post a picture of myself and I would say, ‘It doesn’t matter. I’m not accepting what you’re saying, all the while, being in the room posting and crying my eyes out because nobody deserves to hear those things.”

Empowering Self-Love

Selena Gomez has quoted several empowering lines over time but the one that everyone loved is, “Not a model, never will be”. She added. “Thanks for supporting me and understanding and, if not… go away.”

“Because honestly, I don’t believe in shaming people for [their] body or anything”. Fans praised Selena for her honesty and blunt reply.

Body Positivity

Unlike many other celebrities online, who talk about body positivity but never follow through, Selena Gomez is an exception. The actress and singer continues to post her pictures on Instagram in bikinis and swimsuits.

She doesn’t shy away from showing her body rolls, stretch marks, and uneven body fat.

For more on the topic of body image and health, check out Stars Weigh In on the Hottest Ozempic Trend , where celebrities share their thoughts on the latest weight-loss craze.

A Role Model

Selena Gomez might not be a model but she for sure is a role model for all those who support and adore her. The way she embraces her natural body online and in the physical world has people falling in love with her.

Similarly, the actress/singer has posted several makeup free pictures. Check out what Selena Gomez has to say about Mental Health and Life’s Unexpected Turns .