Three Thoughts on Rihanna’s Pregnancy Reveal
If you watched the Super Bowl or have access to the internet, you've likely heard that Rihanna is pregnant with her second child. This had me thinking about how pregnancy is addressed in the public eye. Celebrity pregnancy/birth announcements have evolved over the years: from one of the first announcements in the 1950s on “I Love Lucy” where she was unable to use the word “pregnant” on television to very public, carefully-crafted announcements by Rihanna and Beyonce. With that, here are three thoughts about what lessons we can learn from Rihanna’s pregnancy reveal:
There is no “Right way” to be Pregnant.
Rihanna’s Super Bowl half time performance was received with mixed reviews. Regardless of what you thought, pregnant bodies in public spaces are often politicized of how they should show up. People are quick to offer judgement, and restrictions are placed on what food to eat, how to handle your career, what clothing you can wear, and what activities are safe. Many of these restrictions are not grounded in scientific research. Rihanna showed us one way to be pregnant from her outfit to her performance, and she did it as her authentic self. Pregnancy is a unique and individual experience, and you are allowed to experience it in your own way. As a good friend once said to me: “Opinions are like pennies; everyone has one, but they ain’t worth much”.
Women’s bodies Are Still the subject of conversation…and it needs to stop.
Female celebrity bodies (and, frankly, nonbinary and trans celebrity bodies) are often the subject of conversation and speculation. Expectations of thinness or “bouncing back” after birth lead to extreme measures. It’s time we normalize body changes as we age and completely stop talking about others’ bodies. You can experience joy, success, achievement, pregnancy, celebrity no matter the shape, size, color, and ability. See above quote about opinions.
Women Have the Right to privacy.
Rihanna didn’t owe us a reveal. She carefully crafted how she wanted to share her news with us and when. She deserves privacy, even in if she has chosen a career in the limelight. Privacy is a basic human need for our safety and well-being. Our decisions about privacy are decided by our boundaries. Fun fact: those can change at anytime which means our privacy needs can change at any time.
Congratulations to Rihanna and A$AP Rocky in their family building journey!
