Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and kemi Olunloyo has voiced out hers regarding pregnancy photo shoots.
The Nigerian journalist and social media personality, recently launched a verbal attack on Nollywood actress ChaCha Eke-Faani, after the star actress posted some photos from her maternity shoot on Instagram.
She thought ChaCha looked absolutely distasteful in her photos, adding that pregnancy should be kept private, and an “ugly stretched marked colour faded belly button popping stomach” shouldn’t be shown to the world.
“What happened to the so called African tradition? Actress ChaCha Eke Faani looks absolutely distasteful in these photos. I’m known NOT to be a fan of pregnancy photoshoots. Pregnancy should be a private thing when it comes to showing your ugly stretched marked colour faded belly button popping stomach to the world. I was actually eating and was disgusted. As a social critic, why did a terrible trend Demi Moore and Britney Spears started end up in Africa? They criticize gays and lesbianism, another Western trend but won’t criticize this. Aside from fetal abductions and just plain letting everyone know your maternal health status online, Nigerian celebrities do these things to boost their careers to seek attention and relevance. Before these fugly pictures, I did not know her. The front view of the picture is sexually suggestive. She’s famous now.”
Posting maternity photos online, particularly those where the baby bump is exposed, is one issue that always brings on a lot of criticism and cyberbullying in this part of the world. The big question is WHY?
First of all, what a grown woman decides to do with her body is her business. More importantly, how a pregnant woman decides to celebrate and/or announce her pregnancy is entirely her choice, and shouldn’t be up for public criticism.
Secondly, why do some people get uncomfortable at the sight of a pregnant belly, but think it’s beautiful when women are in bikinis or crop tops, or even in traditional African dance wear? Hypocrisy anyone? Is it not the same belly that is being bared? In the words of Uche Jombo Rodriguez, “if pregnant belly makes you uncomfortable, you need Jesus.”
That humongous belly, those stretch marks, and that popping belly button all represent the circle of life, and should be embraced or celebrated however the woman pleases. The key message should be – do what makes you comfortable and happy. Do you. Be unapologetically you.
It’s fine to keep your baby bump off social media; it’s also fine to show it off to the world. It’s your choice how much you share online. In the real life, there’s really no choice, as your burgeoning belly will always announce your presence, not to mention all the internal vaginal exams one has to endure in the hands of doctors and midwives. Remind me again what is so ‘private’ about pregnancy?
Anyway, this is only my opinion as a proponent and collector of beautiful maternity photos.
What’s your opinion? Are you for or against pregnancy photo shoots?
