Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Billy Corgan Shows Off His 'Port Wine' Birthmarks To Highlight Body Positivity In Powerful Post

Billy Corgan
Timothy Norris/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

The Smashing Pumpkins frontman showed off the birthmarks on his arm and hand on Instagram on Monday with a powerful message of body positivity and embracing your differences.

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan shared a photo of the birthmarks on his arm in an effort to embrace the uniqueness that makes each of us special in a powerful Instagram post embracing body positivity.

The 57-year-old singer and songwriter, a member of the Smashing Pumpkins since 1988, posted a photo of him proudly displaying his "port wine" birthmarks on his left forearm.


"I’m a fan of body positivity movements because at the end of the day it is about celebrating what makes us ‘us,' " he wrote.


@billycorgan/Instagram


In the post's second slide, Corgan shared a screenshot of model Carlotta Bertotti, who overcame her appearance insecurities to embrace the blue-grey spot on the side of her face marked by a benign skin condition called the Nevus of Ota.

Since sharing her story with the world, Bertotti has amassed a devoted social media following, inspiring them to celebrate their "flaws" as their uniqueness.

Corgan continued:

"So as you see, here is a beautiful young woman (@carlotta_bertotti ) with a birthmark who has embraced her ‘difference’ with grace."

Like Bertotti, who used to try concealing the mark on her face with elaborate makeup routines to fit in before embracing her perceived imperfection, Corgan opened up about his early insecurity.

He said:

"My point being that my whole life I’ve endeavoured to hide my ‘port wine’ birthmarks because as you can imagine I was teased unmercifully about them as a child."
"So much so that people who have known me for a decade are shocked when they finally ‘see it’.'"

Corgan said his birthmarks still cause concern.

"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," he said.

Some of the questions he's been asked about his skin discoloration were:

"Is that a burn?"
"Are you sick?"
"Is it contagious?"
"Does it hurt?"

He concluded his post with a "positive message for the day," which was:

"Whoever you are, I hope you find peace with who you are because: I would like to know that person and no one else."

Corgan's post was met with overwhelming support.

@billycorgan/Instagram

@billycorgan/Instagram

@billycorgan/Instagram

@billycorgan/Instagram

@billycorgan/Instagram

@billycorgan/Instagram

@billycorgan/Instagram

@billycorgan/Instagram

@billycorgan/Instagram

@billycorgan/Instagram

People with birthmarks often are subjected to whispers and being stared at in public, which can negatively impact self-esteem and emotional well-being.

As a result, those affected often experience social anxiety, as they are constantly worried about what people may be thinking about them, as Corgan mentioned in his post.

His message is powerful because, in addition to smashing pumpkins on stage, he's destroying the stigma and discrimination associated with birthmarks, and we're totally here for it.

More from Entertainment/music

Tim Burchett
Al Drago/Getty Images

MAGA Rep. Ripped For Changing Story About Why He Sleeps In His DC Office To Fit Trump Agenda

Tennessee Republican Representative Tim Burchett was criticized for claiming that he "lives" in his office because of crime in Washington, D.C., even though he gave a completely different reason earlier this year to explain how he maintains productivity.

Burchett's remarks came as President Donald Trump federalized the Metropolitan Police and deployed about 800 National Guard troops to the nation’s capital this week while claiming crime in D.C. is "out of control" despite falling crime rates.

Keep ReadingShow less
A man smiling at a woman looking down.
woman reading book
Photo by Hello Revival on Unsplash

Women Break Down The Biggest Mistakes Single Men Make When Flirting

It isn't always easy for a single woman to enjoy a night out on her own.

Be it at a bar, in a store, or merely sitting on a park bench, they frequently catch the attention of a single man.

Keep ReadingShow less

Women Reveal The Dumbest Thing They've Witnessed A Man Believe About Women

Men... LISTEN UP!

This is going to be an important life lesson for y'all.

Keep ReadingShow less

People Share The Most Bada** Thing Their Dad Has Ever Done

I grew up without a dad.

I often get a sense of FOMO when I hear dad stories.

Keep ReadingShow less
Actor Kevin Sorbo visits Hallmark's "Home & Family" at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Paul Archuleta/Getty Images

Sorbo gripes about Vikings cheerleaders

American actor and sudden cheerleading morality police Kevin Sorbo appeared to spontaneously combust online when the Minnesota Vikings announced the addition of two male cheerleaders to their 2025 squad.

Born in Mound, Minnesota, Sorbo has long cultivated his brand of brawny, bicep-flexing alpha male heroics—playing Hercules in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Captain Dylan Hunt in Andromeda, and starring in the 2008 parody Meet the Spartans, where he famously shared an on-screen kiss with Sean Maguire’s King Leonidas.

Keep ReadingShow less