Half a century ago it was considered indecent for a pregnant woman to be seen in public. In the 1950s, a “baby bump” was irrefutable proof that a woman had engaged in sex, so, by the time she was showing, it was best – for the sake of her reputation and everyone else's delicate eyes – that she keep herself at home.
Chrissy Teigen was the subject of Twitter body shaming for daring to turn up to something looking like she had just had a baby.
That sort of stifling sexism seems bizarre in 2018 (especially given baby bumps are so fashionable models wear fake ones), until we consider the rules of today. Sure, you can be seen naked on the cover of magazine, or on your Instagram in all your pregnant glory, but once you give birth you’d better not be seen out in public again until your post-baby body is perfect.
Now we know the rules, I should mention the rules need to change.
Case in point: Chrissy Teigen was a presenter at the Emmys, but still copped flak for daring to step out with a body that looked like it had carried a child.
Chrissy’s decision to appear in public looking like she actually gave birth appears empowering on the surface, but there’s a catch. The same week she presented at the Emmys, she launched her cookbook – it’s now on sale in Target. For other "moms" to buy. Because if Teigen steps out looking too good, she’s no longer quite as relatable to that mother of three kids in Ohio.
I’m not suggesting this is a totally calculating move on Teigen’s behalf. What I am suggesting is that she probably breathed a sigh of relief when her marketing team told her she didn’t have to squeeze back into her pre-baby swimsuit to promote this product.
Because famous women know the rules better than everyone: don’t reveal your post baby body until it’s perfect – or you might lose your earning power.
Prime example: on Wednesday, Khloe Kardashian revealed, via Instagram, her full abdomen for the first time since giving birth to her daughter five months ago.
#ad Progress update! Enjoying my meal replacement shake program from @flattummyco and I’m actually feeling sooo good right now, can you tell? These meal replacement shakes are so effective and the results I’m seeing and feeling are amazing – I’m super excited for the next few weeks?????? (p.s it’s on sale at 20% off right now – they have really good bundles at 25% off)
A post shared by Khloé (@khloekardashian) on Sep 18, 2018 at 4:01pm PDT
Through three separate short videos, and two photos, Kardashian, clad in a hot pink bra top and bike pants, and holding a “flat tummy shake” never said it, but made clear that the meal replacement that enabled her to “bounce back” from her old body.
For what would be the good in explaining to her 79.3 million Instagram followers that her body was made possible because she had help raising her child; and someone else making her meals, and someone else again to help her train? And more time than the average mother to devote to self-care?
Nope, a “reveal” is only beneficial insofar as it appears vaguely attainable, and makes a profit.
There was another reveal this week of a different kind. Jessica Simpson revealed the gender of her unborn baby by posting the “result” on Instagram. Simpson made sure to do this via a row of balloons, then surprise pink balloons, before finally posting a photo of herself pregnant.
This little baby girl will make us a family of five. We couldn’t be happier to announce this precious blessing of life.
A post shared by Jessica Simpson (@jessicasimpson) on Sep 18, 2018 at 7:16am PDT
The emphasis was on the unborn baby – the “surprise!” – and not Jessica herself. After all, Jessica has been through regarding attacks on her weight, and her own deal and reveal with Weight Watchers for her post-baby body in 2012, she can not afford to send any other message.
Within celebrity culture there is no bigger money magnet than a mother. The endorsements and brand partnerships expand as the uterus does. Jessica Alba managed to successfully pivot from B-grade actress to super "mom" via her own nappy company. Kim Kardashian has a kids clothing line. Jennifer Garner has a baby food line. And now Chrissy Teigen, former swimsuit model, has a cookbook.
So this joyful, momentous occasion, the birth of a human being, is reduced to a series of exciting reveals, while the reality – of what motherhood does to a woman and her body – is quarantined. For privacy? For the sake of healthy boundaries? For the child’s sake? Wrong on all counts. Because there’s money in “revealing” your pregnancy, your child’s gender, the birth announcement and that flat-as-aboard stomach after baby, there’s just nothing to be gained from plain, old, messy, brutal, life-altering motherhood.
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