Selena Gomez is flaunting a Rare aspect of her beauty.
The pop star took to Instagram on Thursday to model a swimsuit from pal Theresa Mingus‘ La’Mariette line. The suit, named after Selena herself, gave fans a glimpse of the scar from her kidney transplant surgery — and the post gave some insight into the singer’s mindset about her appearance.
Related: Selena Reflects On Kidney Transplant With Inspiring WE Day Speech!
She captioned the gorgeous pic:
“When I got my kidney transplant, I remember it being very difficult at first showing my scar. I didn’t want it to be in photos, so I wore things that would cover it up. Now, more than ever, I feel confident in who I am and what I went through…and I’m proud of that.”
Awww! Ending with a message for Theresa, she wrote:
“T – Congratulations on what you’re doing for women, launching @lamariette whose message is just that…all bodies are beautiful.”
Amen, gurl! And speaking of which…
Yasss! So sad that she worried that scar detracted from her beauty…
The ‘gram was warmly received by fans and friends alike. Jwoww commented,
“
You are so incredible
“James Charles wrote:
“Beautiful sister
.”Former Wizards of Waverly Place co-star Jeff Garlin wrote:
“You are a great one my sister.”
13 Reasons Why star Katherine Langford praised:
“Love you lady, you’re a strong one !
“Selly first revealed her lupus diagnosis back in 2015; the autoimmune disease can have a number of physical side effects, and can impact mental health as well. (The Disney alum has long been open about her mental health struggles, and recently revealed a bipolar disorder diagnosis as well.)
Complications of the autoimmune disease lead to the necessity for a kidney transplant in 2017. There were rumors that her-then boyfriend Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd, would be the one to donate the organ (he hinted as much on the track Call Out My Name when he sang, “I almost cut a piece of myself for your life”). In the end, though, her BFF at the time, Grownish star Francia Raisa was the one to give up the life-saving organ.
The Look At Me Now artist posted about the surgery after the fact (and shared a more contemporary photo of her scar from a different angle) on Instagram. She shared:
“So I found out I needed to get a kidney transplant due to my Lupus and was recovering. It was what I needed to do for my overall health. … I want to publicly thank my family and incredible team of doctors for everything they have done for me prior to and post-surgery. And finally, there aren’t words to describe how I can possibly thank my beautiful friend Francia Raisa. She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me. I am incredibly blessed. I love you so much sis.”
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Unfortunately, the friends had a falling out some time later, allegedly because of Selena’s drinking after receiving the new kidney. A source said:
“The truth is that Selena was tired of feeling like she owed something to her because she gave her a kidney… This was Francia’s choice; Selena did not steal the kidney from her.”
We know now that the Spring Breakers actress suffered a number of mental health issues in the years following her kidney transplant, so hopefully the two women have made peace now that Selena’s in a better place. But she’s undeniably killing it lately: in 2020, she released a new album, a beauty line, and an HBO Max show, and dedicated herself to activism in this turbulent social and political climate. She was even recently named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People of the year.
We are SO proud of her growth and confidence! Keep shining, Selena!
[Image via WENN/Avalon & Selena Gomez/Instagram]
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