| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 903213 | Body Image | 2012 | 4 Pages |
Entertainment magazine websites provide a continuous stream of celebrity news accessed by over 13 million unique viewers each month. Celebrities’ experiences of pregnancy and new motherhood appear to be popular topics within these media outlets; however, little research has investigated the content of this coverage. In this study, investigators coded articles (N = 387) published between August 1, 2007 and August 1, 2008 on three popular entertainment magazine websites. Relatively few articles about celebrities’ pregnancies discussed weight (13%) or shape (30%), and an even smaller proportion (6.2%) included any discussion of postpartum body dissatisfaction. This suggests a gap between portrayal of celebrities’ pregnancies and postpartum experiences and those of non-celebrity women. This disparity is concerning as it might lead to unrealistic expectations about pregnancy and postpartum for both pregnant readers and a more general audience. This study provides important initial information about the messages these media provide regarding pregnancy-related appearance.
► This article explored portrayals of celebrities’ pregnancies and new motherhood in three online entertainment magazines. ► This is the first study to examine how pregnancy-related appearance is portrayed within celebrity-focused media. ► Few articles discussed weight or shape. ► Few articles indicated celebrity postpartum body dissatisfaction. ► Thus, a gap appears to exist between celebrities’ experiences of pregnancy and new motherhood and those of the average woman.
