The backlash against Halle Bailey’s ‘pregnancy’ shows we still have a problem with young mothers

Twitter went into meltdown yesterday when Halle Bailey stepped out in Santa Monica in an oversized hoodie with her boyfriend Darryl Dwayne Granberry Jr [DDG], seemingly pregnant. And, aside from the fact that no woman should have to announce their pregnancy before they’re ready thanks to paparazzi photos, the backlash against 23-year-old Halle’s rumoured pregnancy has been decidedly weird. People aren’t happy.

For many, they claimed it was because they “hated” Halle’s boyfriend DDG, who had previously been accused of messaging other women – specifically the rapper Rubi Rose – when he and Halle were in an argument. A rumour they’ve both since denied.

But the more comments that piled in about Halle’s pregnancy, the clearer it became this frustration went way beyond her fans not liking her partner. “Halle Bailey pregnant at the height of her young career by a BUM. I’m so tired,” wrote one person. “She’s talented, beautiful, successful, & destined for greatness. And there are soo many amazing Black women. Yet so many of us are baby mothers. It’s tiring because we are worth so much more,” added another. 

Essentially, the backlash implies that by getting pregnant (semi) young, Halle Bailey has destroyed her career and her life. This isn’t just implicitly wrong – but actually quite regressive. Loads of women have children young and continue to have phenomenal careers: Cardi B, Solange Knowles, Reese Witherspoon, Kylie Jenner to name a few. It doesn’t mean they’re doomed for the rest of eternity.

Being a young mother fundamentally shouldn’t be this shameful. But the abject horror and drama over Halle’s pregnancy has shown just how much we still have a problem with it as a life decision.

As one person on Twitter put it: “You guys aren’t talking about Halle Bailey like she is a human being,a young woman who is on a new journey she is likely very excited about. You’re talking about her like she’s a character in your TV show and it is very gross. Be normal. Hope she is protected from these comments.” 

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Featured image credit via Instagram