Selena Gomez gets protective hug from Benny Blanco after she hit out at body shamers

Selena Gomez received a protective hug from her boyfriend Benny Blanco when they surfaced in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old songstress and the 36-year-old music producer started dating in mid-2023 and took their romance public that December.

Now, over a year into their relationship , the power couple appeared as loved-up as ever, taking comfort in one another on a windy November evening.

While Selena bundled up in a long coat and scarf, Benny layered a hoodie over vintage 1990s t-shirt that was splashed with an image of Lucy Van Pelt from the classic comic strip Peanuts, along with the phrase: 'The stress is getting to me.'

In order to provide his girlfriend with a bit of added warmth and comfort, Benny was seen sweetly wrapping an arm around her as they headed outdoors.

Their sighting comes just days after Selena blasted TikTok users who had been speculating about her figure during a recent public appearance.

The outing in question was a screening of her new film Emilia Perez, held last week at the the DGA Theater Complex in Los Angeles for the American French Film Festival.

When pictures of the event went online, observers on TikTok immediately started commenting on Selena's dress, which some felt was cut to conceal her curves.

In response to the swirling conjecture, Selena wrote a pointed TikTok comment explaining: 'This makes me sick.. I have SEBO in my small intestine. It flares up.'

Selena, who has battled health issues including lupus and underwent a kidney transplant in 2017 , added: 'I don't care that I don't look like a stick figure. I don't have that body. End of story. No I am NOT a victim. I'm just human.'

She appeared to be referring to SIBO, aka small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, which can be caused by diseases or often by an abdominal operation.

The surgery or the illness will cause food and waste to move more slowly through the digestive system, 'creating a breeding ground for bacteria,' per the Mayo Clinic .

In August, Selena set off an avalanche of engagement rumors with a mirror selfie that had a heart emoji strategically placed over her left hand ring finger .

She snapped the picture in the bathroom, where Benny could be spotted behind her in an undershirt and a pair of floral trousers.

Selena shared the picture shortly after the popular gossip page DeuxMoi posted a tip that the former Disney Channel star 'got engaged' earlier that month while 'surrounded by friends at their usual beach house hang out.'

However, more recently, she has been spotted with her left hand fourth finger bare at various events to promote her new movie Emilia Perez.

The Spanish-language comedy, also starring Zoe Saldana and Edgar Ramirez, is led by Karla Sofía Gascón, playing a cartel leader who pretends to die in order to undergo a gender transition into a woman.

Selena has publicly described Benny as the 'love of my life' and divulged that she was one who said: 'I love you' first in the relationship .

The Only Murders In The Building star went public with Benny in December 2023, revealing that they had been secretly dating for six months.

Earlier this year a source disclosed that Selena felt 'ready to settle down' and feels that she 'has found the love of her life' in Benny .

' He makes her feel secure and happy . They both think they've found the person they'll be with forever,' the insider told Us Weekly .

'She definitely sees this relationship going the distance,' the source added, noting that her 'friends and family' are also enthusiastic about the match.

The insider shared details of their long-term plans, saying: 'They've talked about marriage and having children and are very much on the same page.'

Selena, whose property portfolio includes homes in Los Angeles and Manhattan, is now said to want to live in New York because Benny is based there.

Benny is himself a high-flyer in the music industry, as a record producer and songwriter who has worked with a variety of artists including Selena, Halsey, Ed Sheeran, Rihanna, Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Charlie Puth and Kanye West.

A few months ago, Selena disclosed that she had planned to adopt a child independently if she was still single by the age of 35.

'I was alone for five years, and I got really used to it,' she explained while attending a Time 100 Most Influential Companies event.

'A lot of people are afraid of being alone and I probably tortured myself in my head for like two years being alone, and then I kind of accepted it. Then I came up with my plan, which was I was going to adopt at 35 if I had not met anyone.'