A women's relationship to her body is often fraught with complications and becomes even more complex after she experiences pregnancy. There are so many changes that occur and it can be difficult to make peace with those changes, especially when society puts insane pressure on women to “bounce back” after having children. Well, mega influencer Arielle Noa Charnas recently took to Instagram to share proud post-baby bikini selfie, and it's being criticized by an unsuspecting source: actress Amanda Seyfried.
The photo, which Charnas captioned “Proud of my body after two kids,” was quickly called out for being “tone-deaf” and unrealistic. What's more, 33-year-old Seyfried posted a screenshot of her friend's comment on the post, saying “IMO it had to be said.”
Seyfried posted the screenshot to her feed, which showed her friend's full response to the photo. Essentially, she accused Charnas of promoting an unhealthy body image. She also felt Charnas should acknowledge that her ability to “bounce back” after having children is due in large part to her wealth and privilege.
“You're just perpetrating the patriarchal (totally unrealistic) notion that mothers should 'bounce back' after childbirth, an impossibility for anyone who can't afford ample childcare (which is almost everyone in this country),” the comment reads. “I know you're better than this,” it concludes.
Shortly after posting, Seyfried confirmed that Charnas blocked both her and her friend. “If we’re ready to get paid for flaunting our lifestyle (and inspiring some in the meantime),” Seyfried said, “We have to be open to the discussions surrounding what we’re promoting. We have to back ourselves up — not run away from the issues it presents.”
According to Cosmopolitan, Charnas responded in an Instagram story that claimed she was being “punished because I'm thin.”
While some women support Seyfried and her friend's sentiments, many are calling them out for passing judgement on Charnas. “Discussions about postpartum weight are rabbit holes,” one user wrote. “You never know what's going on inside someone's head and what we see on social media isn't always the real story. This whole thing made me sad.”
It's a sticky situation, no doubt, but regardless of what's going on here, it's never good to pass judgement on someone's else body — especially on social media.
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