Tia Mowry's Postpartum Journey Isn't What You'd Expect
Somewhere along the line, Patriarchy convinced women that our bodies were made solely for their aesthetic pleasure. At some point, we forgot that our bodies are amazing machines that create life and move mountains, and instead came to the conclusion that it is our obligation to maintain our bodies by standards set by society. Women like Ciara and Teyana Taylor have slayed our entire lives by showing off their miraculous post-baby snapback bodies; and though these women give us inspiration, it's important to set #BodyGoals that reflect your own reality.
Ciara said that she worked out two or three times a day with a trainer to lose the 50 pounds of baby weight that she had accumulated during her pregnancy, and Teyana Taylor said she was able to reveal her post-baby snapback after only 6 days because of her extensive workout regimen before, during, and after her pregnancy.
The images constantly perpetuated in the media may lead some to believe that a quick recovery from 40 weeks of pregnancy is the standard, but stars like Tia Mowry-Hardrict say f*ck your standards, we've entered into an era of creating our own. She wrote in an Instagram post:
"This is MY #postpartum. Two weeks in. Do I still have a belly yes. I actually look like I'm 4 months pregnant and that is OKAY. I wanted to shine a light on how our society creates false expectations after a woman gives birth. Ladies, it's okay that our bodies are not PERFECT after our babies are born. Give yourself time. Go at your own pace. Don't allow people to put a time limit on YOUR body. You've just accomplished a miracle! #Love yourself, love your new body, embrace it. It you want to make changes than that's your desire and no one else's. Ps, #moms freaking rock! #fashion."
Tia's confession reminds women everywhere that the only expectations that you're held to are your own. In 2016, the actress opened up about how her journey to self-love came through navigating the road not usually taken: embracing her scars.
Along with dealing with the newfound nooks and crannies on our postpartum bodies, many women, including Tia, must learn to find beauty in their c-section scars.
"I call my pooch Cree. I have a caesarean scar, and I love that scar. It reminds me of the moment where I gave birth to a human being."
So often we see our scars as undesirable, when really they should be worn with valiance because they are war wounds. It is no easy feat to give birth to another human, and our scars are imperfectly perfect reminders of that victory.
As mothers, as lovers, as women, Tia reminds us to find beauty in our imperfections. She is proof that our insecurities are no match for the confidence we find in embracing a positive self-image. She continued:
"I'm not as thin as I used to be, but that's OK. I'm who I am, and I just want to encourage moms to embrace those changes. Those changes didn't happen in vain. We all go through cycles. That's life. We don't have to be perfect, so embrace your imperfections."
Your postpartum body may be different from Tia Mowry or Teyana Taylor, but it doesn't make it any less "normal". Despite popular belief, pregnancy and childbirth is some real sh*t, and your body needs time to recover.
Set #BodyGoals that realistically embody your reality and that are conducive to your lifestyle.
Featured image via Tia Mowry/Instagram
Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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ItGirl In Motion: DonYé Taylor Asked Herself This Question When Creating Her Brainchild
"Being an 'ItGirl' is all about being yourself and taking all of the elements that make you who you are and displaying them at your highest capability," creative brainiac DonYé Taylor says in the introduction of the limited video series, "ItGirl In Motion."
In partnership with Hyundai, xoNecole has unveiled the limited series in conjunction with our inaugural ItGirl 100 list. The list boasts 100 Black women who not only innovate and take up space when it comes to putting on for their cities, but also as the driving force behind brands that create impact for the culture. ItGirl DonYé Taylor is one of the 100 featured ladies who put her purpose into action.
ITGIRL IN MOTION with DONYE TAYLORwww.youtube.com
As a marketing consultant, content creator, and CEO, a driving force behind DonYé's ambitions has been to show others how she sees the world by "creating art and doing things that shift perspective." In founding her brainchild, Nüclei, which is coincidentally also home to the ever-so-chic chrome brain piggybank, DonYé briefly touched on the inspiration behind the brand. "I was like, 'What would it look like if I were to be of service to myself?' And that's what made me create Nuclei," she said.
Watch the video above to take a peek into the life of the LA-based ItGirl, the importance of Black women receiving our "flowers" while we're here, and the three things she believes are absolutely essential to any ItGirl.
See our ItGirl 100 list in full here. Click through the gallery below for some BTS moments of DonYé and our partnership with Hyundai.
CREDITS
Director: Mikkoh @mikkoh
Production Company: @30inthemorning
AD/Gimbal Op: @jeffreyrattanong
DP: @jucelandrin_
Editor: @30inthemorning
1st AC: Bonnie Delgado @bonniebellevue
2nd AC: Liz Robles @lizfatimarobles
FPV Drone Op: Kai Kevin Goh @kaivertigoh
Gaffer: Nelson Nguyen @nelson_ftw
Key Grip: Ames Hoang @mangothemaker
SLT: Jamon Tolbert @jamon.tolbert
Sound Mixer: Deyo Forteza @introducingdeyo
PA: Breyona Holt @exquisite_eye
PA: Aminah Muhammad @aminahmuhamm
BTS: Marika Belamarich @marikarosegold
Featured image by Marika Belamarich for xoNecole