NEW YORK: Selena Gomez says she plans to have children of her own one day, and she hopes being open about it will help reduce the stigma around non-traditional paths to motherhood.
The 34-year-old singer and actress spoke about her nonprofit, the Rare Impact Fund, at the Fast Company Innovation Festival in New York. The initiative aims to raise $100 million over 10 years to expand youth mental health services and education.
"I think what makes me proud is knowing that we're truly making a difference," Gomez said. She said she has a 13-year-old sister who "means the world to me," and added, "eventually I'll have my own children, and this is something that I don't want to be taboo."
"I don't mind if people think it's 'out there,' but I love what we have accomplished, and I think we'll just continue to grow in that manner," she said.
Gomez, who married record producer Benny Blanco last year, revealed in 2024 that she cannot carry a child. She told Vanity Fair at the time that medical issues would put her life and a baby's life at risk, and that she had to grieve the reality for a while.
She later said she felt no shame in discussing either that or her bipolar disorder. Speaking at a Women in Film event, where she was joined by her then-11-year-old sister, Gracie Elliott Teefey, the former "Wizards of Waverly Place" star said there is "power in being vulnerable and telling people when you need help."
Gomez said she shares her struggles to advocate for women and because "everybody's going through something." She urged listeners not to let anyone define them as victims, saying, "You're a survivor in my book."
