Selena Gomez hits back at those who think she plays the victim

Selena Gomez has hit back at critics who have tried to portray her as a victim.

The 32-year-old star won praise for her 2022 documentary My Mind & Me in which she candidly opened up about her mental health struggles and bipolar diagnosis.

While she intended the documentary to shine light on the power of sharing, she noted that some were quick to accuse her of trying to create an image of victimhood.

Turning on those critics, Gomez told The Hollywood Reporter, "It makes me so mad because it genuinely is such a strong thing to be vulnerable.

"It was terrifying for me to let people inside my world that way, but I was doing it because I felt like maybe this would help someone, and that's what I care about."

She continued, "I just wanted people to feel less alone, and I wanted people to understand, 'Oh, she was literally going through a really hard time, that's why she canceled those two tours. But that's really cool that she wants to help other people.' That's all I saw this as. And people completely misunderstood what I was trying to do with it."

She added, "Not everyone, just a group of people, and they love to label me as this victim. And it's funny because the things that I walked through, I fully believe I'm one of the strongest people that I have ever known. So, yeah, that always just bothers me."

The Only Murders in the Building star has noticed fans have since shared their troubles with her more openly, adding, "People trust me with their truth, and I don't take that lightly."