), it has at least re-handed celebrities control over their own narratives in this way – as opposed to having to rely on or respond via the media.Much like YouTube has democratised the playing field for content creators / influencers , Instagram has allowed public figures to make announcements like this on their own terms. And when it comes to the more invasive elements of celebrity gossip, that’s definitely a good thing.
Roberts’ simple post, short on both detail and hyperbole, is also a clear contrast to the sensational way in which celebrity pregnancies are often depicted by tabloid sites. And it’s a subtle pushback, too, against the cliché that pregnancy is a time of unhampered joy and elation. While many women will experience it as that, others may struggle with perinatal physical orissues. Or they want to avoid celebrating their pregnancies in a way that’s too blatant, in sensitivity to friends who cannot have children or are struggling to conceive.
Roberts’ restained announcement avoids the festishisation of pregnancy that we so often see in popular culture. And it also allows her to reclaim control – a small but significant win in an area that women frequently lose out on, whether that’s