Pink breastfeeds. Gisele gave birth at home. January Jones encapsulated her placenta. Who cares?!?
I do.
Whether they like it or not, celebrities influence our culture and they become role models to those in the same life stage. We use celebrities as a compass for what might be trendy, hip or mainstream. Regardless of if we love it or fight it, the images and messages around us are being absorbed by us all every day.
We all know, and mostly despise, the teen culture that shows us that girls should be valued by their body type and flirty behaviour. There is little value placed on academics or personal growth, instead girls should be boy-crazed and worried about their appearance.
For older women, the culture of celebrity shows us that they should have little value at all. Many actresses claim that the roles tend to disappear past a certain age, and of course if you aren’t keeping up with your appearance or drinking from the fountain of youth (Read: Botox) then there isn’t much place for you at all. It’s no wonder that someone like Meryl Streep is loved by so many women, since she proves that she is worth having directors write roles FOR her, and she shows no signs of stopping anytime soon.
What does this mean for us, the generation who are now becoming mothers? What does celebrity culture say about motherhood and does it matter what celebrities do?
Kourtney Kardashian- Uses a breast pump no matter how crazy her schedule is. Photo: Kourtney Kardashian
When Jessica Simpson was expecting her first child a few years ago I was pretty obsessed with tracking her every move. And it’s not because she’s one of my hair idols, or because she runs a BILLION dollar empire- it’s because she did not hide or shy away from who she was or what her body looked like, despite the medias reports that she looked HUGE.
When women show what real pregnancy looks like, when they reveal what actually happens to a woman’s body- our self-acceptance grows. When we see women who are usually styled and maintained as Barbie dolls looking real, and allowing their bodies to do real things, we allow ourselves the same.
Okay, so the heel are over the top, but how awesome is that belly?! Photo: US Magazine
When celebrities post photos of themselves breastfeeding, I always want to give a huge HURRAY! because this is just another step towards normalizing this act that should be totally accepted by everyone in 2015. When beautiful sex symbols like models and actresses show their breasts as a way to feed a child and not just a body part meant to be ogled by men (…and women!) then we are one step closer to having other women feeling confident to breastfeed whenever and wherever.
There is influence from the celebrities that we follow. We are inspired by them with our wardrobes, our hair, and lifestyle. It’s only natural that we would follow their lead when it comes to pregnancy and motherhood as well, so when a celebrity chooses birthing and parenting choices that are still thought of as on the fringe, we begin to see those things as normal. Once we see something often enough, it becomes commonplace and that’s when change starts to happen.
I admire the celebrities who, after giving birth to a new baby, hit the red carpet (or even leave their house!) looking like they…just gave birth to a baby. For some reason, we praise the ability to wipe away any trace of motherhood as quickly as we can. “Wow, you don’t even look like you had a baby!” or “Back to work already? You’re such a supermom!”
There is no shame in motherhood. There is nothing wrong with allowing your body to take time to find it’s new normal. It’s okay to spend days lazing around, feeding baby and napping. The more we see moms in the spotlight talking about the reality of motherhood, the better for all of us!
What do YOU think? Are you affected by the culture of the celebrity as a mom? Do you see famous women as more down-to-earth or real when you see them mothering in a style similar to yours?
