Selena Gomez recently took to her Instagram to share a powerful message about body positivity. The 31-year-old star posted a photo comparing herself in a zebra bikini from 2013 to a more recent picture, where she proudly shows off her fuller figure in high-waisted bikini bottoms and a white tube top. In the heartfelt post, Selena talked about coming to terms with her body and accepting that she may not look the same as she did in the past. She opened up about dealing with body shaming comments and expressed her self-pride, despite not being perfect. This isn’t the first time Selena has talked about self-acceptance, especially in relation to her weight gain from her lupus medication. Selena’s honest message is a great reminder that it’s important to love and accept yourself just the way you are, flaws and all.
Selena Gomez, at 31 years old, decided to share some throwback bikini photos on her Instagram Stories recently. One snap was from Miami back in 2013, while the other was from Mexico in 2023. On the same day, Gomez was spotted heading to Face Place, a skincare salon in West Hollywood, looking cozy in grey sweats and fuzzy beige slides. The salon, which caters to clients with various medical aesthetic procedures like Botox and Kybella, is 52 years old. After facing criticism from online trolls about her body, Gomez openly talked about her struggles, emphasizing that she will never aim to fit the mold of a traditional model. Despite dealing with weight fluctuations due to her medications, Gomez highlighted the importance of prioritizing her health above societal beauty standards. Gomez’s message to her haters was clear: she will not conform to unrealistic beauty norms and urged them to stop the body shaming. Overall, Gomez wants everyone to embrace self-love, even in times of insecurity, and to remember that health comes first.
“It finally dawned on me today that I will never look at myself in quite the same way again…” she wrote alongside the picture, showing off her toned physique in a cute zebra-print bikini.
In her post, she thanked everyone for accepting her flaws and embracing her authentic self. She posted a picture of herself confidently wearing high-waisted bikini bottoms, flaunting her curvier silhouette.
Earlier in the day, Gomez went for a natural look by choosing not to wear any makeup. She was dressed in comfortable grey sweatpants that looked like cashmere, matched with cozy beige fuzzy slides as she enjoyed some self-care at the popular skincare salon, Face Place, in lively West Hollywood.
Back in February, she had the perfect response for those who were criticizing her body and shared that her recent weight gain was a result of the medication she is on for lupus.
In the past, Gomez revealed that she presented a different version of herself online, appearing unaffected by criticism even though she was actually feeling upset and crying. This became evident when she was seen at the Golden Globes in January. “I really look up to them – but just to be clear, that’s not how I see myself at all,” she stated. The talented singer then encouraged her fans to embrace self-love and self-acceptance. “For anyone out there feeling ashamed about their situation, just remember that no one truly knows the whole story,” she conveyed. “I just want everyone to recognize their beauty and uniqueness.” The former Wizards of Waverly Place star also stressed the importance of prioritizing her health over her appearance. “Of course, there are days when we might not feel our best, but I will always choose to be healthy and take care of myself,” she elaborated. Earlier the same month, the founder of Rare Beauty stood up against further critiques regarding her body following her appearance at the 2023 Golden Globes. During an Instagram Live session, Selena playfully asked her nine-year-old half-sister Gracie, “I may have gained a few pounds lately from enjoying the holidays, right?” Gracie seemed to agree, prompting Selena to respond, “But that doesn’t bother us.” She also spoke out against body-shamers in 2022 in a TikTok Stories post. “To be honest, I don’t pay attention to my weight because there’s always something negative to say about it. You’re too skinny, you’re too big, that outfit doesn’t suit you, and so on.”
At the previous Golden Globes, the creator of Rare Beauty gracefully responded to body shaming remarks that were directed towards her.
Back in September 2017, the singer shocked fans by announcing that she had undergone a kidney transplant as a result of lupus complications, with her friend Francia Raisa generously stepping in as the donor. She boldly declared, “I am perfectly imperfect, just the way I am. Lesson learned? See ya later.” Despite her earlier claims of being unfazed by body critics, the star opened up in an episode of the Apple TV+ series, Dear…, about the struggles she faced. Gomez revealed that she may have portrayed a tough exterior online, but in reality, hurtful comments would often reduce her to tears. “I tried to act like negative comments didn’t bother me, but the truth is, behind closed doors, I was posting selfies through tears because no one deserves that level of cruelty,” she admitted. At 24, the singer of ‘Lose You To Love Me’ dealt with organ deterioration from lupus, which ultimately led to the life-saving kidney transplant in 2017, thanks to the selfless act of her dear friend Francia Raisa.
