Real talk! Selena Gomez clapped back at body-shamers who have attacked her appearance — and revealed that her lupus medication causes her weight fluctuations.
“I tend to hold a lot of water weight and that happens very normally. And then when I’m off of [my medication], I tend to lose weight,” Gomez, 30, explained during a TikTok Live video that was shared via Twitter on Thursday, February 16. “I just wanted to say and encourage anyone out there who feels any sort of shame for exactly what they’re going for and nobody knows the real story — I just want people to know that you’re beautiful and you’re wonderful and, yeah, maybe we have days where we feel like s—t but I would much rather be healthy and take care of myself.”
The Only Murders in the Building star noted that her “medications are important” and “are what helps me,” adding, “[I’m] not a model, never will be. I think they’re awesome, mind you, but I definitely, definitely am not that.”
Gomez concluded the video by thanking her fans for “understanding” and “supporting” her before asking haters to keep the negativity at bay. “And if not, go away, because honestly I don’t believe in shaming people for body or anything,” she said.
The Wizards of Waverly Place alum was first diagnosed with lupus in 2014. The Mayo Clinic defines the condition as “a disease that occurs when your body’s immune system attacks its own tissues and organs.” Three years later, the Texas native underwent a kidney transplant, with her longtime friend Francia Raisa as her donor.
Gomez has since been open about her health struggles over the years and often clapped back at anyone who has criticized her body. Last month, the “Bad Liar’ singer made headlines for shutting down trolls who commented on her figure after the 2023 Golden Globes. (The Rare Beauty founder was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical or Comedy TV series for her work on OMITB.)
“I’m a little bit big right now because I enjoyed myself during the holidays,” she said during a January Instagram Live.
“I mean, come on, right?” she then asked 9-year-old sister Gracie, who was her date event, before adding, “But we don’t care,” as Miley Cyrus’ “Do My Thang” started blaring in the background.
Last year, the “Lose You to Love Me” crooner shared her thoughts about attempting to diet — and refusing to restrain herself because of other people’s opinions.
“So I be trying to stay skinny, but I went to Jack in the Box and I got four tacos, three egg rolls, onion rings and a spicy chicken sandwich,” she said. “But honestly, I don’t care about my weight because people bitch about it anyway. ‘You’re too small,’ ‘you’re too big,’ ‘that doesn’t fit.’ ‘Meh meh meh meh.’”
Though she doesn’t let the body-shamers stop her from having a good time, the former Disney Channel star has been honest about how it feels when people judge changes in her looks due to a medication she has to take for the “rest of my life.”
“I really noticed when people started attacking me for [my weight],” she told pal Raquelle Stevens during a September 209 episode of the “Giving Back Generation” podcast. “And in reality, that’s just my truth. I fluctuate. It depends what’s happening in my life.”