Demi Lovato, 27, is all about body positivity! The former Disney star was applauded on social media for posting an unedited bikini photo revealing her cellulite on Thursday, September 5 — and sources say she is feeling better than ever. “It wasn’t an overall difficult decision to put that picture up, it was freeing and allowed her to be the person she wants to be. She wants to be transparent and real with her fans, her family and her friends,” an insider tells HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY. “She wants the public to know the real her and day by day she is getting there and this picture reveal was a great launching pad to continue on this path to better herself.” The photo was taken on Demi’s trip to the glamorous Four Seasons Bora Bora resort back in May. She previously posted photos in the same swimsuit, that appear to be using a filter or edited.
“Demi is one of the realest people anyone can meet and be friends with and sometimes she doesn’t realize that and her truth and her story can be looked at differently in the public eye,” the source continues. “But since she has been through it all in life and in Hollywood she has learned that to be herself is exactly what she should be.” Demi has, of course, been open about her previous struggles with weight, addiction and an eating disorder — but she seems more confident than ever. “Demi has been in the spotlight for most of her life and always tried her best to fit into what she thought society’s mold of who she should be. Nobody has put more pressure on Demi, than Demi, and she has lived her life by everyone else’s standards,” a second source reveals, referencing the actress’ early start in the entertainment industry at a young age.
Demi — who recently posted about joining the re-boot of Will & Grace — also celebrated her 27th birthday on August 20, marking over a year since she went back to rehab. “After celebrating her birthday a few weeks ago and with working so hard and staying focused on her sobriety, she feels like she has a new lease on life. Demi is in such a great place right now and after looking over her social media profile, it was almost like a lightbulb went off,” a second insider close to the star spills.
“She realized she was so focused on being true to herself, but she still wasn’t being true to her fans. That hit her hard and she felt the need to post the unedited photo of herself to not only show fans she’s as real as them, but to also take another step forward in living in her own truth,” they concluded.