When a woman becomes pregnant, it often feels like the entire world suddenly feels entitled to comment on her size, shape, diet, or fitness habits. Women face criticism for being too large, too small, eating excessively, or not exercising enough. One pregnant athlete, fed up with body-shaming on social media, decided to take a stand against the negativity with a powerful side-by-side comparison that encourages reflection before anyone jumps to judgment.
Meet Jenna Lee
Jenna Lee is an endurance athlete and new mother who faced harsh comments about her physique as she approached 39 weeks of pregnancy. Despite maintaining her fitness and having visible abdominal muscles, Jenna was criticized by strangers online. Initially thinking she was alone in this experience, she quickly realized that plus-size model Mia Taylor also faced similar negativity regarding her pregnancy photos. This made it clear to Jenna that women are subjected to scrutiny no matter their body type.
Taking a Stand Against Body Shaming
Instead of accepting the shaming, Jenna chose to voice her feelings. She shared a photo of herself at 39 weeks alongside one of Mia at a similar stage in her pregnancy. In her post, Jenna challenged societal expectations around body image and argued for the right of women to make personal health choices without judgment. “In this image, these two women are at about the same stage in their pregnancies—39 weeks,” Jenna wrote. “That’s the stunning Mia Taylor on the left, and me with my defined abs on the right. Both of us are subjected to shaming for our size.”
Jenna emphasized that both women are healthy and should not be criticized for not conforming to a narrow ideal of what a pregnant woman should look like. “Both of us have been validated by our healthcare providers as having healthy pregnancies,” she stated. “Why do we shame women whose bodies don’t fit some outdated notion of normalcy?”
The Diversity of Pregnancy
Pregnancy affects every woman differently; we all carry our bellies in unique ways, gain weight at different rates, and experience varied symptoms. Seeing celebrities like Emily Blunt or Blake Lively with their perfectly rounded bellies might be nice, but it shouldn’t set a standard for all women. Each woman’s body is distinct, and there’s no reason to expect uniformity in how we look during pregnancy.
Empowering Women
In an interview, Jenna expressed her admiration for Mia Taylor and her motivation for posting the comparison photos was to combat the idea that women’s bodies are public property. “My body is not just a vessel for a fetus; I am a complete individual,” she stated.
Every woman has the right to manage her own health, weight, and body, and just because someone is pregnant doesn’t mean they should face unwarranted scrutiny. Society should embrace and celebrate all body types, or at the very least, refrain from voicing unsolicited opinions. As Jenna aptly put it, “Let’s keep our thoughts about other people’s sizes to ourselves. Pregnancy is challenging enough without the added pressure of body shaming.”
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Conclusion
In summary, pregnant women come in all shapes and sizes, and it’s time we recognize and respect that diversity. Let’s support each other in our journeys instead of perpetuating harmful standards.