Selena Gomez opens up about body image struggles following Australia trip in 2018

Selena Gomez, 31, has spoken candidly about her intense struggle with body image during a trip to Australia in 2018.

The Who Says singer opened up to Fast Company about how photos from a trip Down Under negatively impacted her mental health and body perception. 

In 2018, the Rare Beauty founder visited Sydney and was pictured by paparazzi wearing a bikini on a boat around Sydney harbour with a visible thigh scar. 

Watch the video above. 

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The images caught the attention of social media trolls who commented on the actress’ kidney transplant scar from 2017, as well as her changing figure.

Speaking to Fast Company, Gomez shared she was already struggling with body image at the time as she went from a “teenager’s body” to a woman in her ’20s.

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“None of the sample sizes were fitting, and that would make me feel embarrassed,” she told the outlet.

“Although how unrealistic is it to expect a normal woman’s body not to change?”

The star had been off social media following her breakup from Justin Bieber not long before her Aussie trip, explaining she ”didn’t need to see what everyone was doing.”

“Then there were those moments of not feeling positive about how I looked because of what I’d see on Instagram. Wow, I wish my body looked like that.”

Following the body-shaming online after those bikini paps in Sydney, Gomez took to social media to share a personal uplifting message about beauty.

The singer’s assistant had been managing and posting to her social media accounts since 2016, however, Gomez personally posted to critique ‘the beauty myth’ after her Australian trip.

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“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 fulfil society’s impossible definition of flawless beauty,” she wrote.

“I chose to take care of myself because I want to, not to prove anything to anyone.”

Along with the inspirational caption, Gomez shared a video compilation of clips from her on that infamous boat ride in Sydney harbour, enjoying the day with her friends. 

Gomez has spoken out in the past at social media trolls critiquing her physical appearance.

In January 2023, the singer responded to comments about her weight after photos of her from in a strapless gown at the 2023 Golden Globes circulated online.

The Wizard’s of Waverly Place star handled the criticism with grace, taking to Instagram live with her younger sister Gracie to shrug off the comments.

“I’m a little bit big right now because I enjoyed myself during the holidays, right?” she said, laughing it off. “But we don’t care.”