Selena Gomez “Lied” About Being Body Positive

Selena Gomez is speaking out on the topic of body positivity and mental health. In the latest episode of Apple TV Dear… In the docs, Gomez takes a deep dive into body image, and how online criticism of her body affected her, despite the strong front she put on in public.

“I lied,” Gomez said. “I’ll go online and I’ll post a picture of myself and I’ll say, ‘It doesn’t matter. I am not accepting what you are saying.’

“All the time, posting in the room and crying my eyes out because no one deserves to hear those things.”

Gomez, 30, was diagnosed with lupus in 2014. Lupus is a chronic disease which attacks the immune system and organs, causing painful inflammation and organ damage. At just 24, he underwent a kidney transplant after his condition developed into lupus nephritis, which causes the kidneys to stop working.

Lupus and the medications taken to manage it can cause weight fluctuations. Gomez a TikTok Livestream that in his case, his medication made him gain weight.

“[When I’m taking it, I] They tend to hold a lot of water weight, and this is very common. When I’m off of it, I lose weight,” Gomez said live. “I just wanted to say and encourage anyone out there who absolutely feels any kind of shame for that, and no one knows the real story.”

This comes after Gomez announced a break from social media in February, amid coverage of an alleged feud between her and Hailey Bieber (who is married to Gomez’s ex-boyfriend). It further highlights how a toxic environment online can affect people at the center, something Gomez wants us to investigate further.

In the newest episode of Dear…Gomez explains why she hid behind body positivity when faced with comments about her weight gain.

“Even though I was posting these things saying it didn’t bother me, because I didn’t want it to bother people who are experiencing the same thing, shame on them for what they do. What they look like, who they are, who they love,” she says. “I think it’s very unfair. I don’t think anyone deserves to feel less than that. “