The obsession the media has with pregnant women’s bodies is really, fucking disgusting. In fact it makes me feel sick. We live in a society where fat shaming is acceptable. It’s not only acceptable to shame regular women but it’s becoming increasing acceptable to shame pregnant women.

The reality of the situation is that pregnant women gain weight. Some gain less and some gain more. But they all gain weight. If they didn’t it would not only be unhealthy for them but also dangerous for their child. Pregnant women aren’t auditioning for America’s Next Top Model they’re having a child.

When the media scrutinizes pregnant women they’re essentially telling all women that our bodies are public property. That there is no time our bodies won’t be mercilessly picked apart. That fitting into size two clothes is more important than the woman’s health and more important than the unborn child’s health. And this is done with a callous condescension—like a high school girl telling you your clothes are unflattering and prefacing it by saying it’s for your benefit.

I struggled with anorexia for nine years. My sister struggled with bulimia and anorexia. Most of the girls in my high school struggled with binging, purging, and starving. I’m not saying it’s wholly the media’s fault but I am saying some of the blame lies there.

Accepting your body as it is is hard. And when magazines like US, Okay, and In Touch call pregnant women fat they make a hard task even harder.