A video stopped me mid-scroll this morning: 'Taylor Swift is pregnant – that is a baby bump!' it declared, along with footage of the singer performing on her Eras tour in a black and red sequin bodysuit. It's not the only similar post doing the rounds on TikTok and Instagram of late, and, erm, sorry... but haven't we all seen these rumours circulate (and die) about TayTay countless times before? Why are there still people who struggle to grasp that it is deeply uncool to comment on a woman's body in this way?
We've heard directly from Swift in her documentary, Miss Americana, just how much she has struggled with disordered eating and body image as a result of unnecessary comments from the public. She also expanded on those comments, during a chat with Variety while promoting the film, specifically addressing pregnancy rumours (which have dogged her since the age of 18; she's now 34 – so almost half of her life then).
"I remember how, when I was 18, that was the first time I was on the cover of a magazine, and the headline was like 'Pregnant at 18?'" the star recalled. "And it was because I had worn something that made my lower stomach look not flat. So I just registered that as a punishment.
"And then I'd walk into a photo shoot and be in the dressing room and somebody who worked at a magazine would say, 'Oh, wow, this is so amazing that you can fit into the sample sizes. Usually we have to make alterations to the dresses, but we can take them right off the runway and put them on you!' And I looked at that as a pat on the head."
Swift then went on to say how this praise/prying relationship the world has had with her body all culminated in unhealthy eating patterns, even leading her to "starve" herself before some shows and over-exercise.
Miss Americana first dropped back in 2020, meaning we've had an entire four years to wrap our heads around the fact it's not even just uncool to run wild with pregnancy rumours, but actively harmful for Swift. As it would be for any other female celebrity (from the royals to actors, I can't think of a single one who has managed to go without having someone zoom in on her abdomen and ask the question 'baby?').
The likes of Kourtney Kardashian Barker and Chrissy Teigen have also spoken out to say how upsetting it is having people suggest you're pregnant, with both having previously said tough it was given they were actually either struggling to conceive at the time or were trying to embrace their postpartum bodies.
So let this be a reminder (and dear God, please can it be the final one?): if you see a video suggesting Taylor Swift, or anyone else who hasn't announced a damn thing, is pregnant – keep scrolling. Don't engage with it. Don't comment on a celebrity's post with bump emojis or nosey questions either. There are literally only two times that it's acceptable to assume a woman is pregnant – when she's told you that she is, or when she's actively in labour.
Now, can we all get back to enjoying the Eras tour for all the right reasons?
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Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
