For years, the celebrity world has been built around the idea of perfection. Whenever someone at the top of the media world has a fall or something goes wrong in their lives, the press holds it against them. This has naturally created an industry where weaknesses are ignored and perfection is implied in full. Selena Gomez, though, has been a celebrity who is at the forefront of changing this. As a vanguard for mental health openness, Gomez has become an idol to many for the fact she does not hide behind this mask.
Few celebrities are as open about the challenges they face in life. Gomez has been honest about her mental health for years, and it has helped many ‘normal’ people to be more open and honest about the challenge(s) they face in life. For that reason, Gomez has become an idol not only for her varied talents but for her humanity and honesty.
In a recent interview with “The Newsette”, Gomez was candid about the issues she had faced in her career. She spoke about the double-edged sword of social media. If you are not on social media, you cannot control the narrative around you. If you are on social media, you need to take the abuse, the rudeness, and the chaos that follows these platforms around like a bad smell.
Returning to social media, Gomez used her platform to speak about her mental health challenges and to own the story. Taking control of the narrative by speaking only from her perspective, she made sure her views and challenges could be not manipulated or used against her.
Gomez also has put her money where her mouth is. In the past, she has provided as much as $10m per year in donations across a decade-long donation spree. These donations went to causes that help other people with mental health challenges – such as the Rare Impact Fund. This all then comes back to her career; when she is in her best frame of mind, like anyone else, she can produce her best work.
Love or hate the music, it is clear that Selena Gomez the person is among the most open and authentic celebrities out there today.