Singer Selena Gomez has gained weight, and she looks fabulous. Further proof that women can look incredible at any size.
Our society tends to be obsessed with women losing weight. If someone is thinner, we automatically decide that is better. However, Gomez is gorgeous proof that this kind of thinking is a myth created to make women feel bad about themselves. I can’t stress this enough, but weight has little bearing on your attractiveness.
This week Gomez graced the Golden Globes looking flawless and, yes, with more meat on her bones. I couldn’t help but feel happy that Gomez is having a career moment while her figure is fuller.
I’m always torn talking about women’s weight, and in my real-life, I’d never comment if a woman had gained weight, but I also think we never see an example in pop culture of a woman being told she looks just as good after gaining weight.
So, excuse me for being rude and mentioning Gomez’s weight gain. I swear it is just for the greater good. Seriously, Gomez looks hot right now! Maybe she’s just found her style, or perhaps she’s just feeling happier and healthier now, but I’d use the word glowing.
While Gomez hasn’t commented on her weight at length, she did go viral for commenting on a TikTok crammed with photos of Gomez at her smallest. The caption of the viral TikTok read, “He rather models. My poor baby #selenagomez” (sic).
The TikTok also featured a text on the screen that read, “The reason why Selena is always skinny when she dates Justin.” This a pretty clear reference to Gomez’s famous relationship with popster Justin Bieber that was on/off from 2010 to 2018. Justin Bieber is now married to model Hailey Bieber.
An alleged screenshot also appeared in the TikTok where Gomez is seen replying to someone asking about her relationship with Bieber, she replied. “No love. He’s rather models. I’m just too normal” (sic).
In response, Gomez commented on the TikTok with a sad face emoji.
Before you accuse me of clutching at straws by this brief response, please remember that celebrities rarely reply to fan-made videos, and Gomez’s emoji does seem to imply that she wasn’t her happiest during this time. How else could we interpret a sad face?
I don’t think Gomez’s experience with weight is unusual. When I was at my thinnest, I was going through a bad break-up and spent most of my time crying and drinking bad $10 dollar wine. At my biggest, I’d just fallen in love again and I was enjoying dinners out and skipping the gym for morning sex.
There’s nothing wrong with this, but because I’m a woman and have grown up in a culture where thinness is celebrated whenever I have gained weight, I’ve automatically felt bad about myself and, yes, less attractive.
Gomez has also been very open about her mental health struggles and battling Lupus which has included getting a kidney transplant. So, I don’t think it is outrageous to think that Gomez at her thinnest likely wasn’t her at her healthiest.
When a famous woman gains weight in the public eye, she is bereted. Her body is endlessly discussed until she sheds the kilos. So when I saw Gomez gained weight, I waited for the commentary on her body to turn negative, fearing that I would ultimately internalise it.
I am so heartened to see that Gomez is owning her body so well and the mainstream media is also celebrating her. Still, I’ve been depressed to see that there’s some dark places on the internet that are saying fatphobic and negative things about her body and yet Gomez has remained strong recently commenting on a TikTok about her weight with: “I love my body.” Yes, Queen.
Typically we celebrate weight loss and punish any woman who dares to gain a kilo. So, seeing Gomez having a complete ‘it’ girl moment while also not being at her thinnest is just bloody joyful. See? You can have your cake and eat it too.