Selena Gomez has once again found herself at the center of an age-old online debate.
Over the years, Selena — who has been in the public eye since the age of 10 — has been subject to a lot of hate and negativity online. After opening up about her health conditions in 2015, she often found herself at the center of conversations about her weight. She’s addressed the rampant discourse multiple times, most recently in a conversation with Jay Shetty. “Everyone just has something to say, and it’s making me really sad. Not even sad, because, you know, I’m not a victim. I’m just a tad bitter, and I feel really guilty for saying that, but it’s true,” she said this week.
For context, several internet users have long accused Selena of having a “victim complex,” namely after she memorably commented praise under TikToks describing Hailey Bieber — aka the wife of her ex-boyfriend Justin Bieber — as a “mean girl” back in 2023. What’s more, last year Selena left a laughing emoji under an old TikTok video that accused her of having a “heavy victim complex.”
This week, Selena posted a selfie to her Instagram story, wearing a shirt that said, “ALL THE GIRLS AT THIS PARTY ARE YOUNGER AND HOTTER THAN ME.” The shirt’s slogan is a lyric from the second song on her latest album, I Said I Love You First, titled “Younger and Hotter Than Me.” Fans have speculated that the song might be about Selena’s attitudes to Hollywood, growing up as a child star, and eventually aging out of her original place in the industry.
However, after the picture was posted to X, people online began criticizing Selena for sporting the slogan. “selena is never beating the self deprecating allegations,” one person wrote, while one viral tweet called it “pick-me mentality.” “i feel bad that she’s so insecure ab herself i hope she learns some self love practices,” one comment said before another added, “sometimes, what y’all think is being quirky and vulnerable is just being pathetic. don’t feed into that misogynistic nonsense yourself: seriously beside the cute color and glitters used, everything is wrong with that shirt.”
Amid the backlash, fans of Selena were quick to point out that the shirt was merchandise, and that Selena’s feelings about her circumstances were valid. “Why they are dragging her for wearing a top with the lyrics of her single on it?” one fan wrote. “’younger & hotter’ literally is about disney channeI repIacing teen actors for those who are younger & hotter, and then y’all twist it like this and wonder why child stars never speak,” another added.
But regardless, many people suggested that the shirt could set a bad example for audiences. “Really don’t like this self pity and negative self talk. Sets a terrible example for younger women who look up to her,” one person said, while others asked why Selena would choose that specific lyric for her shirt. “what would possess someone to wear this?” one tweet read.
It’s important to note that at the time of publication, the shirt is not listed on Selena’s merchandise website.
I’d love to know your thoughts on this one down below in the comments.
