Selena Gomez Details How She Navigates Fat-Shaming & 'Weight Issues'

In an interview with Allure for its Best of Beauty issue, of which she graces the cover, the Rare Beauty founder shared how she deals with fat-shaming and negative comments about her weight, noting how she's long-struggled with "weight issues."

Over the years, Gomez, 31, has been open about how her health issues, including lupus -- an incurable autoimmune disorder that attacks tissues and organs -- can cause her weight to fluctuate, telling Allure that the criticism of her weight can be triggering and is something she's "very sensitive to."

The actress -- who has also been open about her struggles with bipolar disorder, anxiety, and depression -- noted how she addresses her mental health through dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). According to Harvard Health, DBT is a type of talk therapy that "focuses on teaching people skills to manage intense emotions, cope with challenging situations, and improve their relationships."

"I got stung by a person saying I was fat. Why is that [emotion] coming up?" Gomez told Allure, referencing a real-life example of how she practices the therapy.

"I've dealt with a lot of weight issues in my life, and that's something I'm very sensitive to," she continued, adding that DBT has given her the ability to understand why the criticism can be triggering for her. "Oh, now I understand, that’s stemming from that one time when I was going through some medical stuff and I had gained weight…."

The Only Murders in the Building star added that some therapists give their clients "little cards [you can pull out] when you feel a certain type of emotion, with questions to help guide you through understanding it."

"You just definitely have to be willing to do the work, and that part can be tricky," she added.

Gomez has addressed body-shamers many times over the years.

Last November, she hit back at critics following the premiere of Emilia Pérez. The Disney alum defended her appearance, citing her ongoing health issues with intestinal illness -- SIBO -- as the reason why she looked a certain way at the industry event.

"This makes me sick," Gomez said in a TikTok comment over the recurring comments. "I have SEBO [sic] in my small intestine. It flares up."

According to the Mayo Clinic, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) occurs when there is an abnormal increase in the overall bacterial population in the small intestine -- particularly types of bacteria not commonly found in that part of the digestive tract.

"I don't care that I don't look like a stick figure. I don't have that body. End of story. No I am NOT a victim. I'm just human," she continued.

Gomez also previously defended herself against online trolls in July 2024. She responded to a TikTok video a physician's assistant working in a Florida plastic surgeon's office had shared in 2023, in which she addressed recent online speculation that the singer had gone under the knife.

"Honestly," Gomez commented on the post, "I hate this."

She went on to say she was "on stripes because of flare up" and added, "I have Botox. That's it. Leave me alone."