Selena Gomez's PR team activates damage control mode by donating to Palestine days after Instagram mess
The post followed a social media controversy surrounding Gomez who initially did not offer a comment on the ongoing war. Photo: dailyO
Selena Gomez's beauty line Rare Beauty recently posted on Instagram that it is donating care to Palestinian children in Gaza affected by the Israel-Hamas war. However, this comes amid the severe backlash the singer/actor is receiving for taking a break from social media, and her 'one post can't change anything' comment.
What
Let us first talk about the fund.
"We are devastated by the images & reports coming from the Middle East. Thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes & millions of civilians have been displaced & left without access to food, water, medicine, or basic necessities for survival. A large number of these victims are children. Palestinian civilians must be protected, period", Rare Beauty said in a statement.
The post also emphasised that the company strongly denounces "all forms of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia" and urged support for humanitarian organisations that are seeking to help the children of Gaza and that the company is all about inclusivity.
Read the entire post here:
This also comes after various reports surfaced that Selena Gomez joined a group of artists to write an open letter to US President Joe Biden for a ceasefire amid the ongoing crisis in Gaza. The list of names included Bella Hadid, Gigi Hadid, Jennifer Lopez and Zayn Mallik.
The catch
But here's the thing. Many people on social media commented that the entire move on donation came only after Selena received backlash for her social-media break, and #BoycottRareBeauty started to trend, which made the donation and the petition only a move to calm (people) down.
The post followed a social media controversy surrounding Gomez, who initially did not offer a comment on the ongoing war.
By October 30, nearly one month after the war broke out between Israel and Hamas, she posted a story saying that "she denounces hate towards any group" and explained that one post won’t change the world.
She went on, "I'm sorry if my words will never be enough for everyone or a hashtag. I just can't stand by innocent people [getting] hurt. That's what makes me sick. I wish I could change the world, but a post won't."
'One post won't change the world'
However, her taking a break from social media angered a lot of people on, well, social media; and since then, Selena has been receiving a lot of heat for her response to the war.
People are taking to her Instagram photos and commenting and demanding she take a stand for someone, especially the pro-Palestine ones.
Some users also commented, "Looking away from the war is also a privilege that Selena can exercise."
Take a look at some comments:
