By: Alison Ross, LMFT, CEDS
Selena Gomez just bravely opened up about the pressure of living in the spotlight, constantly being judged for her changing body. It's a struggle many of us can relate to. Society unfairly praises her when her weight goes down and criticizes her when it goes up. But Selena is fighting back.
Last week, she bravely stood up for herself and her beautiful body, reminding us that our bodies naturally change as we grow older, and that's normal. In the past she has also spoken up to normalize the fact that as she gets older, she no longer has a teenage body. And she has shared that she has a condition called lupus, which requires medication that can affect her weight. In all these brave moments she helps us to remember that the nature of a body is change and that it's cruel to judge people for how their bodies are.
Perhaps we can all relate to Selena's experience? Even if we haven't been judged in such a public way, many of us have been criticized and shamed for our food choices and body changes. These experiences can cause us to believe that something is wrong with our bodies and our appetites, when what's actually wrong is that our society is often mean, controlling, and degrading towards female bodies.
But here's the truth: our bodies are not the problem. Bodies change as a natural part of life, growth, experience, and circumstance. The problem lies with a society that imposes unrealistic standards and treats us as if our bodies are wrong if they don't conform to those unnatural ideals.
What do you think of the mistreatment of female bodies by society? Do you relate to being shamed about your body or food choices? Have you thought about standing up for yourself? .Please share your experiences with our community.