Why Do Celebrities Pose Naked and Pregnant?
In 1991,
Demi Moore made having a baby bump chic when she posed on the cover of Vanity Fair heavily pregnant and nude.
Since then, dozens of famous moms-to-be have struck Moore-like poses with their child in utero. Earlier this year, a very pregnant Claudia Schiffer was photographed by Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld for German Vogue, and this month
Orlando Bloom's supermodel wife Miranda Kerr -- seen after the jump -- took it all off for
W magazine at six-and-a-half months pregnant. (
See More of Miranda's Shoot Here)
Hollybaby Executive Editor Kathy Campbell says these shots are the celeb equivalent of getting a belly cast or creating a lasting memento of their pregnancy.
"I think being pregnant is a very special time in a woman's life, so why not pose to capture that special moment forever? There are plenty of women who do belly casts, so this is just another way of capturing it. I think it's beautiful," Campbell said.
When Moore first struck her iconic pose, we were a little more prudish. That mag cover was banned from several newsstands and at others was wrapped in paper to avoid offending sensitive eyes. Since Demi, Cindy Crawford, Heidi Klum, Milla Jovovich,
Britney Spears and
Christina Aguilera have all bared their bellies during their joyous times.
Pregnancy represents a "safe" time for a celebrity to pose nude.
"During pregnancy, the naked body isn't as sexualized. It is safer to go nude because you're looking at these women as life-giving vessels rather than sex objects," explains
US Weekly photo editor Peter Grossman.
Yet, in some ways, these nude pregos are setting unfair expectations for the average mama. Regular pregnant women simply don't look like Miranda Kerr with her shapely belly and well-proportioned everything else. A lot of women are swollen, veiny, bloated and have cottage cheese thighs when they're pregnant.
And not everyone is a fan of what writer Rebecca Traister once dubbed "pregnancy porn." Bruce Jenner certainly isn't. On a recent episode of 'Keeping up with the Kardashians,' Bruce was none too pleased when Kris displayed a photo of Kourtney Kardashian imitating Demi's pose in the couple's bedroom.
"That's a nude shot of my daughter Kourtney," Bruce said. "Why have that in here? Is it art?"
Some women see the pregnancy pictures as simply another outlet for celebs to channel their self-absorption.
"Some of them do it because they are self-selected narcissists who act like they are the first women to ever conceive a child, like its some great feat that nobody else but them are capable of," says 'Cult of Celebrity' author Cooper Lawrence. "Add to that the extraordinary attention we media folk pay to the 'baby bump.' We only encourage their delusions of grandeur by making it easy for them to think that their pregnancy is indeed the second coming, so they must be photographed for posterity, for all the world to see, since they are indeed 'special.'"
One thing is for sure. We won't be seeing any less of these naked pregnant celebs. As long as they keep selling magazines and getting clicks online, you can be sure someone will keep asking these pregnant stars to take their clothes off.
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Because they can! God made us all in his own image and those who cover it and denigrate his image are condemned to hell. If you don't like the pic of pregnant women's bodies, don't buy the mag. However, the nude pic on the cover are always the biggest selling issues.
Because they can? good grief.....
RE: the article title
Why not?
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I loved to see my wife that way, because she was carrying my child. But looking at some other woman's gut hanging out is anything but a turn-on to me. Not appealing at all.
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That doesn't make sense. You saw your wife because you saw it as her carrying your child. That's not equivalent to "turn on". And it's not a "gut" hanging out. Jesus, people... at least put some logical thought into your opinions.
Sorry, but pregnancy is NOT attractive. And yes, I'm a woman saying this. Stop making a natural bodily function into something romantic or sexy. It's neither.
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I agree! It's not sexy, and I'm also female. Most women cannot wait to give birth so they can get their bodies back, and enjoy life again! You cannot do a lot of things while preganat.
EXACTLY! It looks gross! Wish the women these days would stop wearing the tight shirts stretched to the limit..looks like trailer trash who can not afford a decent maternity top! Bad enough on slender gals...then to see over weight gals thinking they look cool...NASTY!!! You are pregnant...we get it!!!! BIG DEAL!!!
I'm also a female and I don't see the difference between these pictures and pictures of a big fat beer belly. Yes pregnancy is special. All the more reason to treat it special and not pose naked on a magazine cover and make it into something sordid, almost pornographic.
Why does pregnancy have to be sexy or attractive? It's simply a natural part of life. I don't see any of the women on the magazine covers trying to be sexy.
I have to disagree with you. I waited 12 long years to get pregnant and it was the best time. I looked gorgeous, glowing and very happy. That was 33 yrs ago. The difference is I waited for that child a long time, not like some women these days who just get pregnant because : oops!!I forgot my pill or all my friends are pregnant so I'll do the same. A pregnant woman is beautiful . She is the only one who can give birth, you don't see a man doing that, do you?
It is a beautiful and a blessed gift from God... how could it be anything but. In these photos these women have uncovered themselves enough to just show just the natural grace and form that carrying a baby gives a woman.
I guess it's just the way one looks at it. While being pregnant is beautiful to some, to others it's just being knocked up!
Not unless these women pulled off another Immaculate Deception, Sharon.
...a pregnant woman's belly IS NOT A 'fat gross stomach'.
There's a BABY in there. Idiots.
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YES...we are aware there is a baby in there! Doesn't mean everyone wants to look at it! Looks trashy hanging out like that. We don't want to see your butt-crack either...but SOME people think theirs is sooooo cute!
Mom to be photos celebrate life and they ROCK!!!
btw: Lots of regular women take nude pregnancy photos too. With the right lighting and photo shop we all look good!!!
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Ummmm....no you don't. If you want the pics for yourself,whopee for you. Most other people will not think you are special or beautiful! I just saw some people I know who did that on their facebook album! It did not look so good! Their kids will not think it was so beautiful either.
I took similar photos when I was pregnant with all three of my children. I am so glad I did. Each pregnancy was very special, and I enjoyed being pregnant. When I look at those photos, I see the true happiness and love that I felt. I was very fortunate, that I carried well. They were all tastefully done, and I had fun doing them. It was a special time in my life. Now I wish I had a fourth child!
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BRAVO!