Share on bsky
“Ya know, if we sh*t all over a man supporting his wife and calling it performative… it’s not really gonna inspire other men to start treating women well and supporting them.”
“My wife has Endo and it’s a daily struggle for her. I am always so happy when I see big names bringing attention to it as it seems commonly overlooked and misunderstood.”
We all know pregnancy, and particularly giving birth, is “difficult,” “challenging.”
But growing up with movies and media reflecting it as a generally blessed, lovely, happy, joyful and emotionally-fulfilling time…I was not honestly prepared for my wife’s incredibly difficult pregnancy journey, though I was more than happy to support her with everything I had, every day. I was not honestly prepared for how hard this year has been on us, on her, on me. And of course, baby Willa makes it all worth it times 1,000, for us. We’re so happy.
And yet, seeing this supermodel strut the deeply-compromised yet-perhaps-evolving Victoria’s Secret catwalk and seeing media cheer on her triumphal return only 6 weeks after giving birth, I looked to moms and forums and dads and community for how to view this.
It seems…too soon.
And yet we don’t want to put that on her. We want to put that on capitalism, on society, and change our culture to better normalize how hard it all is. Then it doesn’t come as a surprise. Then we’re ready to support one another, more fully. Then we can advocate for healthcare, and maternity and paternity leave—because, clearly, it’s needed.
~
“Barbara Palvin, who gave birth a month and a half ago, walking the 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.”
“…Let me make a general observation—the test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.”
~ F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Crack-Up
~
Okay, (way) more than 10.
I’ve selected insightful comments (many that directly conflict with one another, we’re here for meaningful honest discourse and awakening, community…not One Opinion) that I felt reflected general support for Barbara and her husband, while calling out the ethos behind the catwalk, Victoria’s Secret, capitalism, expectations to bounce back fast, lack of maternity and paternity leave in America.
They weren’t hard to find, thankfully.
“She looks great, but I hope we aren’t returning to the era of expecting normal new mothers to be able to do this.”
“Thin is unfortunately back in, which mean realistic body standards are out the window and we are transported to 2004.”
“I think this just set us back another 50 years.”
“For people criticizing Barbara – she is a model, she’s 33 and her career is only going to be so long. I’m not sure she can take a year off from what she does and have much to go back to.
Maybe we can talk about how frustrating it is for women to be valued for such a short period of their lives instead of criticizing them for having to compensate for that?”
“Agreed. Like, are we really clamoring for a 33-year-old model to stop finding power in her career to instead…
checks notes
Stay at home with the children where she belongs?
Every woman has her own relationship to motherhood, her career, her partner, and so on, right? If the baby is cared for, happy and healthy, why should anybody outside of the family judge a mother for being at home versus at work?”
“I don’t know. I never “bounced back” after my pregnancy and I’m still happy for her that she feels proud and confident in her body 6 weeks after giving birth.
Yeah, I know it can feel crappy to compare yourself to someone else’s results, but at the same time, I can be happy for her and recognize it’s not about me. Women are amazing and it’s amazing what our bodies go through to bring life into the world and that should be recognized and cheered on whenever possible.
I’m able to celebrate a young woman, and couple really because he seems to be a lovely partner, feeling on top of the world a few weeks after having their first kid. A beaming new mom, a supportive partner, a new joyous addition to the family and a thriving career all seem like good things and should be celebrated, especially in a world with so many dark headlines daily.”
“Some women naturally snap back after birth and we shouldn’t shame them for it. Just as we shouldn’t shame women for taking a longer time or never going back to their before body type.”
“It’s not about shaming her, it’s about all the praise she’s getting setting an unrealistic standard for 99% of women.”
“From what I’ve seen, no one is saying this is the way it should be. It’s more like wow how amazing for her.”
“As a woman I’m just so tired of this shit. We all know what they’re saying and what message they’re pushing on us. Stop selling us servitude to the male gaze and dressing it up as empowerment.
…I don’t need to explain myself or describe the type of feminist I am or explain how what I said is actually not attacking other women. I think women here know exactly what I’m saying.”
“Choice feminism debates aside, what a marketing win for Victoria Secret. They had scandal on top of scandal over the years, lowered their quality while upping prices, and yet despite it all they’ve managed to keep a steely hold on their position in the lingerie market. They’ve whitewashed their past with recent campaigns that push diversity forward (while not bothering to truly reflect it in their sizing) and now their VS show has once again captured the public consciousness by having a postpartum Barbra walk the stage.”
“VS was literally the birth of Epstein. Les Wexner gave him full power of attorney over the company’s funds, NYC townhouses and private jets, which is how he first started his trafficking ring.
Not to mention that Romee Strijd came out and said that the body standards were so restrictive that she didn’t have a period for 7 years.”
“Not just Romee, too. There have been countless models who have said how awful and restrictive it was on their bodies working for VS — and generally the whole experience being awful and taking an emotional toll on them. Bridget Malcolm was on 60 Minutes Australia talking about her experience as a model, and, in particular, her time with VS. it was illuminating and really sad.”
“I personally think it’s sad that she put so much energy into getting back in shape for a fashion show instead of fully enjoying the newborn stage. I don’t think this should be praised.
They have a lot of money, she doesn’t need to go back to work. I can’t imagine she would have been blacklisted or shamed for waiting a few extra months.
I am not speculating about her specifically, but there’s also a big ED culture that’s having a resurgence. It’s not a single person that’s responsible for this, but nobody lives in a vacuum. I guarantee a lot of girls will see this and use this “inspirational story” to fuel their obsessive ED thoughts.”
“The popularity of this post, the congratulatory headline, the resurgence of Victoria Secret, Sweeney’s ads everywhere you go. We are really hurtling full force into early aughts territory for women.”
~
“I’d be leaking.”
“She probably is, to be fair. Just have to hide it for a quick walk.”
“Yeah, she’s wearing quite big knickers. You can see them when the camera catches her side on.”
Most of us were not supermodels beforehand either—so definitely not turning into one PP, I think we can all be chill about it haha. Even supermodels may not get enough maternity leave.”
~
“I don’t think i had attempted pants that weren’t thoroughly elastic waisted by six months post partum.”
“I wore my maternity jeans for like 6 months postpartum.”
“I still wear my maternity Jean shorts sometimes. I gave birth to my second three years ago lol there’s nothing like an elastic Jean short when it’s 100+ outside.”
~
“I love this for her; she looks phenomenal. I just hope all postpartum mothers watching this are reminded that it’s okay if their bodies don’t bounce back a month after giving birth. You’re doing great, mama.”
~
“The same Victoria’s Secret that is [was] owned by Les Wexner, the guy who funded Jeffery Epstein’s empire and still hasn’t gone to jail?”
~
“this is not aspirational, it’s capitalism.”
~
“Six weeks post partum no one should be working, even if you can. We should not be celebrating this and the impact this will have culturally on post partum women and how they feel about their bodies and the pressure to bounce back is depressing.
For those with no media literacy or ability to interpret like an educated human being: I do not care about Barbara’s choice to walk, I care about the medias constant choice to headline this as “six weeks post partum/gave birth a month and a half ago”. They could have just said “Barbara Palvin returns to runway” and it would not have been damaging to other women.”
“Yeah like idk I’m torn too cos I think it’s great that she gets to still feel like a beautiful Vs angel after just having a baby
And obviously she can’t help that she’s genetically blessed lol.”
“But I feel like this would be much more impactful if she looked at all like she’d just had a baby lmao then it’d maybe be inspiring and not just depressing capitalism.”
“Bouncing back like this likely isn’t just being genetically blessed—a lot of this is just wealth. She’s a gorgeous, gorgeous girl but accessing high quality food and medical and trainers and creams and procedures (not saying she specifically has had them done but that people of her class can and do!!!) and serums and supplemental child care and the chance to be “off” for her pregnancy and post partum and and and is part of this.
Yes, some people are immediately thin after birth. Most of those same people aren’t also eye bagless with a six week old, glowing, in fresh tailored clothes, with a team to glam them up with someone to stay home with the kid she and her husband are out.
A lot of money went into her looking this good so quickly.
And I guess good for her but it kinda just makes me sad. Not for her but like…in general.”
“Yup and don’t forget that night nurse! She’s undoubtedly getting a full nights rest. They have people who clean their house, cook their meals, take care of their baby. This is not a dig at her or anyone else who has this kind of help, but this is why she can bounce back so quickly.”
“I honestly don’t begrudge her any of that. It’s what should be available to ALL mothers but in the society we’re in, it will never happen.”
“Nobody is begrudging her, they are begrudging the media narrative that will be pushed from this.”
~
In conclusion, a highly-reasonable take:
“She looks great and I’m happy for her, but we should be wary of imposing these standards on post-partum women.
Keep in mind, she probably had lots of access to the type of medical care/beauty procedures that aren’t typically available to most people after giving birth! This is not the reality for most people!!!”
Read 0 comments and reply