If you don’t know the name Madison Beer, you’re sure to know it soon.
The 21-year-old singer was discovered several years ago by a little music artist named Justin Bieber and currently sits at a cool 15.3 million followers on Instagram. We were perusing her feed late last week and couldn’t help but think about just how…perfect she is. It was on Sunday, March 8th when the brunette bombshell shared a heartbreaking tale of her “very private Snapchats” being leaked by a boy she used to date – what’s even worse is that the same boy leaked even more photos as she celebrated her 21st birthday on March 5th.
“I know there are some very significant things happening in the world right now that are very frightening, so my intention with this message is not in any way to distract from them,” Beer shared via Twitter. Her post contained three screenshots of the Notes app from her iPhone. “But, I do wanna talk today on International Women’s Day on the subject of shaming women.”
“When I was around 14 and exploring my body and sexuality, I sent very private snapchats of my body to a boy I really liked at the time.”
She continued by recollecting what was going through her young, teenaged mind at the time she took the photos.
“I sent these, at 14, thinking I could trust the boy as we had known each other for years and shared feelings for one another, but of course, he shared it with all of his friends. Eventually, that video was sent and shared by everyone (it felt like) in the entire world.” Madison says she had a hard time going out in public because people would both stare at and whisper about her.
happy international women’s day. this feels really good. pic.twitter.com/FsBz4mQIbm
— madison beer (@madisonbeer) March 8, 2020
There were also professional and familial consequences: she heard through the grapevine that “people were ashamed to be working or even friends with [her],” and that the “videos were even shown to my parents, grandparents, and significant people, executives, and artists in the music business.” It eventually made its way online.
After expressing feelings of being “distraught and ashamed” from this “[continually] traumatizing experience that has instilled intense trust issues,” Beer revealed that the same boy was once again sending around a second explicit video.
“All these years I’ve had perpetual anxiety. I’ve been in the dark and fearful of this Snapchat reemerging as if it was a dirty secret…so today, on [International Women’s Day], I am going to free myself of this weight I carry. I am going to tell my 14-year-old self the following, which I hope may help some of you to be kinder to yourselves as young women.”
“You should not feel shame. You were exploring your sexuality, you were learning. You should not feel like you did something wrong. Shame on those who betrayed your trust, and SHAME ON THOSE WHO SHAMED YOU.”
She concluded her open letter by encouraging her fans to “own [their] mistakes as a young woman” without letting them define who they are. But also – to stay safe.
Beer’s first full-length album Life Support is due out on March 27th under Epic Records.
