5 Times Selena Gomez Took Body-Shamers To Task
Selena Gomez isn't afraid to shut down body-shamers. Even though confidence hasn't always come easy for her. In her 2022 documentary, "My Mind & Me," Gomez shared an upsetting video taken in 2016 — the year after she told Power 106 Los Angeles she was shamed for the first time. In it, the singer and actor openly criticized herself as she looked at an outfit. "I wanna have the body to wear it proudly and I want the booty that I don't have. My body's very young. [I want to] look like a woman and not like a 12-year-old boy," she said (via People). Heartbreakingly, the "Kill Em with Kindness" hitmaker admitted she heard a voice in her head that told her she wasn't good enough.
That's not the only time she's highlighted her struggles, either. In January 2024, on Instagram Stories, Gomez posted a photo of herself from 2013 wearing a zebra-print two-piece. "Today I realized I will never look like this again..." she wrote (via Page Six). The "Spring Breakers" actor then posted another bikini snap, taken almost a decade later. "I'm not perfect, but I am proud to be who I am ... Sometimes I forget it's ok to be me," she wrote alongside that photo. But even though she may forget sometimes, she's reminded the trolls. Several times.
Selena Gomez told body-shamers to go away
One of our favorite times Selena Gomez took the trolls to task was during a February 2023 TikTok Live. After reading comments about her appearance online, Gomez shared she'd gained weight due to her Lupus medication. "I just wanted to say and encourage anyone out there who feels any sort of shame for exactly what they're going through, and nobody knows the real story ... you're beautiful and you're wonderful," she said. Rightly so, Gomez said she'd rather take her medication and be healthy than hyper-focused on her appearance. "[I'm] not a model, never will be. And I think they're awesome, mind you. I just, definitely, I'm not that," she added, growing emotional as she spoke.
Gomez also had an important message for anyone spreading negativity, especially on her social media pages. "I just wanted to tell you I love you guys and thanks for supporting me and understanding. And, if not, go away. 'Cause, honestly, I don't believe in shaming people for their body or anything." We couldn't have put it better ourselves.
Selena Gomez let the haters know she's perfect the way she is
Selena Gomez also wasn't afraid to hit back at the haters in April 2022 via TikTok Stories. "So, I be trying to stay skinny," she explained in a selfie video (via E! News), before listing the multiple items she treated herself to from a fast-food joint. "But, honestly, I don't care about my weight because people b***h about it anyway: 'You're too small.' 'You're too big.' 'That doesn't fit.' 'Meh meh meh meh,'" she continued. Gomez then delivered an absolute killer line. "B***h, I am perfect the way I am. Moral of the story? Bye." Yes, girl! That snippiness shows exactly why Gomez is one of the celebrities who perfectly embodies their Cancer zodiac sign.
The video clearly struck a chord with fans, who praised her sassy takedown. "As she should! Queen," one person responded on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Exactly QUEEN," another fan wrote, alongside a snap of Gomez looking gorgeous on the red carpet. "No lies detected SHE IS PERFECT," a third X user stated. We totally agree.
She showed she's an incredible role model when she laughed at body-shamers
What's the best thing to do in response to someone saying something horrible about your body? Laugh! And that's exactly what Selena Gomez did in January 2023 in an Instagram Live video. Gomez shut down the trolls who made unsolicited comments about her weight following the Golden Globe Awards. "I'm a little bit big right now because I enjoyed myself during the holidays. I mean, c'mon," Gomez shared, while joined by her sister Gracie Teefey, who was 9 years old at the time. "But we don't care," she asserted. And that's how you get the ultimate revenge on those who can't keep their opinions to themselves.
The "Come And Get It" singer chose to be an excellent role model by involving her little sister in this clapback. Publicly not giving a damn about the haters' opinions is the best way to teach the next generation how to ignore them. It also shows how ridiculous comments about someone else's looks really are. Plus, as we also learned from Ariana Grande's powerful PSA on her body or Lizzo's wellness journey, there's just no reason to comment on someone's size.
The world was told Selena Gomez didn't care about her weight gain
Being criticized for her appearance is nothing new for Selena Gomez. One of the earliest iterations of her defending her frame happened in 2015, during an appearance on "On Air With Ryan Seacrest." "The past year was so interesting because I've never been body-shamed before," she explained. "I did gain weight, but I don't care." Gomez then explained she posted a swimsuit photo on Instagram in an attempt to quell the negativity. "I didn't want [the haters] to win. Because then the next day, it wasn't about how I gained weight, it was about how I embraced it."
The heartbreaking thing, though? This wasn't quite the self-assured clapback it seemed. Eight years later, Gomez admitted on "Dear..." that the unrelenting criticism got to her more than she let on. "I lied. 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," she admitted (via Today). And that shows how much body-shaming really can affect someone.
The star shared an important message after her bikini photos were criticized
Selena Gomez got philosophical in March 2018 after photos of her in a bikini sparked awful comments online. Daily Mail posted gorgeous candid pictures of her on a yacht with friends while proudly showing off her kidney transplant scar. But, inexplicably, social media was overrun with hateful comments about her appearance, and word got back to Gomez.
In response, Gomez posted an Instagram video that showed the fun she had on her trip. And she refused to focus on the negative. "The beauty myth — an obsession with physical perfection that traps modern woman in an endless cycle of hopelessness, self-consciousness, and self-hatred as she tries to fulfill society's impossible definition of flawless beauty," she wrote in the caption. "I chose to take care of myself because I want to, not to prove anything to anyone." With that, Gomez once again proved why she's such a body-positive inspiration to so many.