‘You call yourself a philanthropist?’: Twitter users roast Selena Gomez over tone-deaf view on Gaza genocide

Hollywood actress and singer Selena Gomez was slammed by social media users online after her neutral take on the ongoing Gaza genocide. Al-Jazeera reports that intense bombing continue to target Gaza with the death toll already crossing 8000 including more than 3000 children.

Selena, whose Instagram following stands at 430 million, shared a statement on her stories writing she was heartbroken to witness the horror, naming neither Palestine nor Israel:

“I’ve been taking a break from social media because my heart breaks to see all of the horror, hate, violence and terror that’s going on in the world. People being tortured and killed or any act of hate towards any one group is horrific. We need to protect all people, especially children and stop the violence for good.”

The last comment, “I wish I could change the world. But a post won’t,” triggered outrage.

“selena gomez is being so stupid right now. she is downplaying her massive following and being hypocritical. if a post can’t help change the world why call yourself a philanthropist?? why post about mental health, blm, womens rights, american elections etc etc” a user wrote.

selena gomez is being so stupid right now. she is downplaying her massive following and being hypocritical. if a post can’t help change the world why call yourself a philanthropist?? why post about mental health, blm, womens rights, american elections etc etc pic.twitter.com/iw61aOxAIf

— jav (@parkwoodfilms) October 31, 2023

Many compared the ‘Only Murders In The Building’ actor’s response to the Ukraine war to this, criticising her for not considering brown lives as important as white ones.

the difference https://t.co/gPGjX7Zv1b pic.twitter.com/fvZSAoVWtq

— SUNFLOWER ᴴ ⸆⸉⁦ 🇵🇸 (@sunflower777x) October 31, 2023

Others criticised the actress for responding in the same tone-deaf manner in 2016 when she was criticised over her silence on the Black Lives Matter protests.

i mean for real the same speech and it’s been 7 years learned nothing https://t.co/CeCIBbM1Yb pic.twitter.com/mRGpHac4p2

— jaebeom enjoyer (@twojaeist) October 31, 2023

Many criticised the statement for being incredibly tone-deaf, pointing out the actress was privileged enough to take a break from social media during the genocide but people in Gaza couldn’t turn away from the violence.

there’s something so sinister to me abt celebs who go “I had to take a break from social media bc it’s too much” while they live in their penthouses and are unaffected, like imagine what people who are LIVING these horrors feel. Girl use your big ass platform to SPEAK UP https://t.co/4bD7WEElYC

— 3D (@svnkoos) October 31, 2023

celebrities only understand their influence when it’s time to sell makeup or merch but when it’s time to raise awareness of a genocide it’s “a post won’t change the world” https://t.co/RjN3eQylIi

— Mich (@michnmpofu) October 31, 2023