Kylie Rancor
It’s a strange reality that living a successful life as an entertainer generally comes with an astonishing lack of privacy or personal space that the rest of us will never fully understand. It’s something everyone knows comes with the territory, but that doesn’t actually make it less terrible.
Social media contributes to this, but paparazzi and tabloids have long been the driving forces behind the inability for actors and singers to live somewhat normal lives when they aren’t working. Many celebrities have spoken out against their intrusive behavior over the decades, and now Camila Cabello is doing the same.
The former Fifth Harmony singer spent a day at the beach in Miami recently, where she was, of course, trailed by photographers the majority of the time.
“Every time Ive gone to this beach club in Miami I get papped — somehow when I check in paps know and get me in my bikini and every time I’ve felt super vulnerable and unprepared,” she wrote. She explained that seeing pictures of herself just trying to live her life, and the resulting comments about her appearance every time, ultimately dinged her self-esteem.
Despite being aware of the disconnect between real life and the glamour of photoshoots and Photoshop, Cabello said, the comments still get to her, and have started impacting how she goes out in public.
“Today I got a new bikini, a whole f—kin cute outfit, put lip gloss on, and didn’t eat anything too heavy before going in the OCEAN cause I knew it was gonna be basically a whole photoshoot,” she wrote. “I held my core so tight my abs hurt and didn’t breathe and barely smiled and was so self conscious of where the paps were the whole time I couldn’t let go and relax and do what we’re meant to do when we go out in nature.”
The singer added that she “felt the emptiness and sadness of our culture’s thoughts that became my thoughts,” ultimately prompting her to speak out and share her frustrations that unrealistic expectations can leave people, and particularly women, “so fixated on what your body looks like [that] your mental health suffers and you can’t enjoy your life.”
“Intellectually, I know what I look like doesn’t determine how healthy, happy, or sexy I am. Emotionally, the messaging I get from our world is loud in my own head,” she admitted.
Cabello received support from fans online, many of whom recognize this is a conversation we keep having as a society even though nothing ever really seems to change.
Society holding women to unrealistic standards is a big part of the problem, but the obsession with celebrity is undoubtedly a large part of the issue too. And as long as we live in a world that keeps hyper-fixating on their every move, that’s never going to change.