Selena Gomez recently opened up about the negative impact paparazzi photos from her 2018 trip to Sydney had on her. The singer, who was in the city for her Stars Dance Tour, was photographed relaxing on a yacht in a bikini during her free time. Unfortunately, internet trolls took aim at Selena’s scars from her 2017 kidney transplant surgery and her changing body shape as she entered her mid-20s. In a recent interview with Fast Company, Selena spoke about the immense pressure she felt due to the online scrutiny. She even broke her social media break to address society’s unrealistic beauty standards and call out the criticism surrounding the paparazzi photos.
Selena Gomez recently opened up about how the paparazzi snapshots taken during her visit to Sydney in 2018 had a profound effect on her emotionally. The singer shared her feelings about the incident.
In March of a certain year, while on her Stars Dance Tour, the artist, aged 31, paid a visit to Harbour City. During her leisure time, she was spotted in a bikini, relaxing on a yacht. The concept of beauty, which involves an unattainable definition of physical perfection that puts modern women in a never-ending cycle of despair, self-awareness, and self-hate, was described as the ‘beauty myth’ by the artist. She revealed to the press that she had already been struggling with body image problems following a photoshoot fitting that made her realise she no longer possessed a teenage body. She expressed embarrassment because none of the sample sizes fitted perfectly and questioned why it was unrealistic to expect a woman’s body to change over time.
Selena remembered how cyberbullies took advantage of paparazzi pictures revealing her scars from the surgery she underwent in 2017 and her body changes as she reached her mid-twenties.
According to Gomez, she became aware of the criticism directed at her paparazzi photos and subsequently ended her social media hiatus to address society’s unrealistic beauty standards. She highlighted that she had moments when she felt negative about her body due to the pictures she saw on Instagram, wishing her body looked like those of other people. The singer, who is known for being candid about her mental health, revealed that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2020. She explained to the magazine that she went through a difficult phase, experiencing highs and lows, and struggled to manage her emotions.
According to her, the beauty myth is a fixation with achieving physical perfection that confines women to a continuous cycle of despair, insecurity, and self-loathing as they strive to meet society’s unattainable standards of flawless beauty.
Gomez shared with the outlet that she had been dealing with insecurities about her body image ever since a photoshoot fitting left her feeling uncomfortable. This experience made her realize that she was no longer in possession of a young teenager’s body. As a result, she has struggled to push through and fulfill her obligations. However, she reveals that after receiving her diagnosis of bipolar disorder, she felt a sense of relief and understanding. Gomez sought out second opinions and consulted with doctors, which has helped her to cope with her condition and make it through each day. She feels fortunate to have access to a support system that assists her in dealing with her struggles.
She expressed her disappointment, saying that the sample sizes didn’t fit her well and it made her feel embarrassed. She further added that it’s unrealistic to expect a woman’s body not to change over time.
