“Your Words Matter.” Those words are the focus of Selena Gomez’s newly announced mental health campaign focused on the importance of language.
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The pop singer-turned-actress, who has long been an advocate for mental health, shared the details of the new campaign, dubbed Your Words Matter, on her Instagram page on Sunday (May 1). The initiative is a partnership between Gomez’s makeup company Rare Beauty and Mental Health First Aid.
“Words can be a barrier to people seeking help and increase the stigma associated with mental health,” Gomez wrote. “Many of these words have long been normalized and accepted for far too long, but it’s time we bring awareness to the words we use…because they matter.”
“I’m proud to kick off Your Words Matter, our Rare Impact by Rare Beauty x Mental Health First Aid educational campaign on how to talk about mental health” she continued.
Along with the message, the 29-year-old posted one of her Tik Tok videos in which she says “Sometimes I read a text and think, ‘what a psycho (bleeped out),'” as an example
“Even in my own video, I now realize that my words matter and can have a powerful impact,” she continues. “Just like all of you, I’m learning every day. We may slip up, and that’s okay, what’s important is that we try to do better and give ourselves compassion.”
Rare Beauty also offered tips on Instagram about focusing on “person-first” language. The post offers examples such as saying “person who has bipolar disorder” instead of “bipolar person.”
“The words you use hold more power than you may realize,” Rare Beauty shares. “They can increase the stigma associated with mental health, which can prevent people from seeking the help they need. When we recognize that our word choice matters, we can make a positive impact to those around us. Whether you’re sharing or responding, it’s important to be mindful of word choice.”
Last year for Mental Health Awareness Month, Gomez launched the Mental Health 101 Campaign. In 2020, she founded the mental wellness website called Wondermind. On the site, she opened up about her own bipolar diagnosis.
In September 2019, Gomez won the McClean Award for mental health advocacy.
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