Smashing Pumpkins‘ Billy Corgan has opened up about his port-wine birthmarks on social media in a statement of body positivity.
The ‘1979’ hitmaker took to his official Instagram page to share a photo of himself sporting a purple hoodie showing off his large birthmarks that span across large parts of his left arm. Corgan previously showed off his birthmarks on the cover of his 2005 debut solo album ‘TheFutureEmbrace’.
“I’m a fan of body positivity movements because at the end of the day it is about celebrating what makes us ‘us’,” began the caption of his post. He also included a photo of model Carlotta Bertotti who has her own birthmark across her face and described her as a “beautiful young woman (@carlotta_bertotti ) with a birthmark who has embraced her ‘difference’ with grace.”
Corgan went on to share that for a big part of his life, he went on to hide his port-wine birthmarks as he was teased “unmercifully” about them when he was a kid. He added that he was good at hiding them sharing that “people who have known me for a decade are shocked when they finally ‘see it’.”
He continued: “Even now strangers will stop me on the street not because they recognize me but because they think something is wrong with me that requires medical attention.Plus the random questions: Is that a burn? Are you sick? Is it contagious? Does it hurt?
“So positive message for the day: Whoever you are, I hope you find peace with who you are because: I would like to know that person and no one else.”
The musician’s post was met with loads of support in the comments. Kiki Wong – the current Smashing Pumpkins guitarist – wrote ” Absolute legend. 
,” while black metal songstress Myrkur shared: “Otto said it looks like a superhero arm.”
American author Laura Albert – who invented the literary persona JT LeRoy – also took to the comments to share: “I love the way you embrace folks that others fear. Because you’ve definitely been part of that tribe.. but that doesn’t guarantee compassion on a part of a person. Often it makes them the opposite.. so with you.”
In other news, Corgan recently used artificial intelligence (AI) to create a new video, promoting The Smashing Pumpkins’ new album in eight languages.
The update from the alt-rock frontman arrived as the band are currently embarking on a huge stadium tour across the US, alongside Green Day. It also comes on the heels of the Pumpkins sharing a brand new album titled ‘Aghori Mhori Mei’ last month.
Elsewhere, the band recently announced on Instagram that they had teamed up with Heaven by Marc Jacobs to drop a new fashion collection.
The post Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan on his port-wine birthmarks for body positivity and “celebrating what makes us ‘us’” appeared first on NME.