A word about Miranda Kerr, if I may.

October 7, 2011 by Stacey 52 Comments

I turned on the TV this morning to be greeted with this picture:

Picture: Simon Lekias for Harpers Bazaar

And while I was ogling in awe, I was vaguely aware of the usual media chatter going on. “Months after giving birth” and all that jazz. I tend to block these things out.

However, Smarmy McSmarmerson newsreader smarmed when the camera cut to her, saying “so, what’s the verdict?”

The verdict, McSmarmerson? There is none. This isn’t a competition. I don’t feel threatened by beautiful people, smarmy, do you? Why is the media telling me I need to have an opinion on this? Why are you insinuating I should find this controversial?

As far as I’m concerned, Miranda going back to work after having a baby includes showing her body. She is a model, that is what they pay her for. Just like when I went back to work, I wrote. And got paid for writing. Obviously she had to put more effort into how her body looks than the rest of us post-baby, because we’re too busy getting our heads around nursing, or teaching or retail or marketing or finance or whatever the hell it is we’re too busy thinking about when we go back to work.

We have the luxury of taking our time. I wake up every day with the solemn intention of doing yoga and going for a nice long walk. Usually I end up eating another Tim Tam and thinking thank god no-one’s keeping score here. It’s not bikini weather just yet.

I’m sick of the media pitting us together, the regular mums Vs the superstars. It’s their job to look pretty.

Don’t tell me I ought to be annoyed at the beautiful people, or that I should feel inferior to them. I don’t.

And while I don’t know Miranda Kerr personally, I’m reasonably comfortable in my assumption that she isn’t doing this to piss off new mums around the world. I don’t for a second think she puts herself in the media to flaunt how amazing she is so we will feel pathetic and useless in comparison.

Same goes for anyone else that ever has a baby and looks great in the public eye. I don’t care. Stop telling me I need to.

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http://onedresstoomany.blogspot.com Carly ~ ODTM

Great post! Loved reading this and I think at times the media is trying to cause mums to feel inadequate majority of the time.
MummyToFive

I think you have hit the nail on the head there Stace! I saw this same story and was annoyed that they were trying to make it controversial! I mean hello! She has nannies, personal trainers, nutritionists and money to be able to get back shape quickly!
The media needs to stop portraying celebrities like that!
http://slightlymoredepththanateaspoon.blogspot.com Slightly Deep

Fantastic post. Love it!
http://stink-bomb.blogspot.com/ stink-b0mb

it's not just everyday mums vs superstar mums, i'm sick of females in general being compared to each other and it's NOT just the media that do it.

every body is different, so each responds, changes [or doesn't change], springs back [or doesn't spring back] differently! aren't we and our bodies all unique? so why do we feel the need to compare ourselves to others?

some people, no matter what they do, will always be on the heavy side, some, no matter what they do, will always be on the lighter side. some may stack on the weight during pregnancy, others will hardly even look pregnant!

i could never understand the hatred that was sent in Mirandas direction when she tweeted a pic of her breastfeeding her son drapped in a dressing gown, made up to the nines – it was obvious she was on set for a modelling shoot, so was breastfeeding between takes – you know like other mothers do while they WORK at whatever it is they do for work.

as women, we are our own worst enemies – women will stop feeling the need to be all to everyone when we stop ganging up on each other while wearing our judgmental hats!

great post.
flyingdrunkenmonkey

Great post!
My way of thinking is, I didnt look like her before having a baby, I'm definitely not going to look like her after I had one.
Gosh I wish I did. That body is fricking amazing.
http://www.maidinaustralia.com maidinaustralia

I still think she's showing off ….)
MummyK

I'm wise enough to know why she looks like that so everytime I see it, I just ogle then flip to the next page (usually while in the loo). But I do hate that they have features almost every week of post baby bodies.

And btw, you are a really hot momma miss S
veggiemama

Really?
Becky from Becky and James

Love it. I think she is an inspiration and I don't see how her going back to work is any different to anyone else doing so. Why the media feel the need to cause a stir between mothers I do not know.
edenland

AMEN TO THIS! Bloody well said X
Katesaysstuff

This. Exactly.
http://www.theimperfectmum.com.au/ The Imperfect Mum

Sooooo True! YEP!…. She does look Bloody HOT! But who cares?!? Not me!
http://bigwordsblog.blogspot.com bigwords

I am with you. I remember someone commenting on Heidi Klum's post baby weight and she shot them down “I am paid a lot of money to look like this. You did see me before I gave birth.” Basicially she was saying, without being conceited – I am Heidi Klum, I have an amazing body, I was born like this and I work damn hard to continue to looking like this. You can't judge yourself on what I look like.

It's right – they aren't super models for nothing. Regardless of baby or post baby it is completely unrealistic to compare yourself to them.

I am so sick of women judging each other.
veggiemama

judgement hats are ugly and SO last season!
http://www.undertheyardarm.com Naomi

You know what? I'm pretty damn proud that my body carried and gave birth to two babies. Why can't Miranda be just as proud? It's like when she talked about the birth of her son, and people went on and on and on about her being smug – damn right she should be smug. She gave birth to a baby.
Did my body look like that after I had a baby? Nope. But then, it didn't look like that before I had a baby either.
veggiemama

Oh I agree – she had every right to be proud of her effort. We're all proud of ours, no matter how they came out.
http://cakecrumbsbeachsand.blogspot.com/ Peggy Saas

Amen to that sister! Perfectly said.

I think she looks amazing but I am not in any way prepared to compare myself to her. Just like I don't compare myself to any other woman.
Kympiez

I love this post Stacy, and it's possibly even my most favourite post of yours (and you know how much I love veggie food!). Jealousy is the evil sister and im okay with not being a supermodel. In fact what I do for a loving doesn't usually involve what I look like but rather what I'm good at. And on the rare occasion that when it does, I'm in a frenzy. Superficial? Hell to the yes! That's what the entertainment/fashion industry is all about. Thanks! Xx
elizabuf

oh, YEAH-HUH!!!! twenty (+??) years ago, kathy ireland was on the cover of sports illustrated swimsuit issue four months after giving birth… why??!! because she had a contract. i read an interview a couple of years later, in which she said she hadn't known she was pregnant when she signed and although she hadn't a clue how to look 'that toned' on the shoot, she knew she was gonna have to learn, and fast!! lol. as she said, it was her job, pure and simple. just another business deal. i don't remember a furor about it back then……. but then again, i wasn't a mum yet, either.

flash forward and so what about miranda kerr looking like THAT not sooooo long after giving birth and getting back to her (very gorgeous work). OH, WELL, DUH THAT SHE LOOKS AMAZING. perhaps anyone else in the world had noticed she was amazing before???!! she's like what, twelve!!! (yes, i do know she's a grown woman, she just looks like such a lil bitty babe to meeee.) if she doesn't look like THAT at her age, she's never gonna get another chance. good on her for making a great career out of it, too.

xoxo, buf
http://mummiesaremagic.blogspot.com/ Jess WhoaMamma

Amen, lovely Veggie-Mama!! xxx
Lissame

She probably is showing off… I would be too.

I'm sure she's got great genes to help her drop the weight, but getting toned takes sheer hard work.

Great post.
Stacy

“Doctor, will I be able to play the piano when my arm heals?”
'Of course.'
“Great, I always wanted to play!”

Why can't we celebrate her success as a working mom instead of judging, sniping, and tearing each other down? Sigh.
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella

I missed this picture on the news but they really do like pitting women against women don't they! I suppose they figure judging is easy.
http://twitter.com/shawdaily Alice Shaw

It is the media beat up that annoys me. MK has everything at her disposal to get her back to the place she needs to be in order to work. I am not jealous of her at all and I hate this pitting of women against other women that the media do. Leave us be to get on with each other and with our own lives..
http://www.wheresmyglow.com Glowless

I often read the newspaper in a head towel and heels. Who doesn't?
toushka

yes! thank you. totally with you here.
http://everythingisedible.com Louisa Claire

I LOVE THIS.
nothing to add, you've got it all covered!
http://www.beafunmum.com Kelly B — Be A Fun Mum

I didn't even know about this until I read this post. HA! There are some good things about having my head under a rock. I really like the point you are making here Stacey. The media, by raising the question, and suggesting hype, is saying to us all “you should care”. I'm with you. I really don’t care.
http://www.cookrepublic.com Sneh | Cook Republic

I missed this pic too!! eek! Totally with you on everything you said, couldn't have said it better. In fact reading your post made me think .. “Yes, I don't need to care!!” and that is so liberating
http://twitter.com/owletmama Lauren Carter

Verdict? What an odd thing to say! I'm very glad we ditched the tv.
http://twitter.com/mums_word Maria Tedeschi

She has no butt. Poor Miranda. At least I have a healthy rump

Great post.

Love & stuff
Mrs M
http://www.themummyautobiography.com Miss Pink

So so so well said!
I do not at all think she is doing this to make people feel bad about themselves, and really, she is a supermodel, if a supermodel doesn't look stunning then they're in the wrong job.
Kirsty@MyHomeTruths

Well said! I'll just go back to my hot chocolate now…
Aunty Penny

great post
Nicole

Here here!
Tina

I like this post very much
http://www.easypeasykids.com.au/wpblog Nathalie

I like to say “shhh Your lips if you have nothing nice to say” There is so much more to life than judgement. Like you say Miranda is a MODEL and a mum good on her I say, for doing both.
I love lying naked on the bed too Nx
http://twitter.com/Seana_Smith seana smith

Quite right, Miranda isn't having a competition with non-model mums, she's doing her job.

Having just had a cook for a week in Bali…. it struck me that if I never, ever cooked, or laid food out or washed up etc etc I would eat a lot less! And if I had a trainer for an hour a day rather than an hour a week, as I've been having, I'd be much fitter!

Not saying it's easy for model mums to retain their figures, but it's what they focus on whereas most of us can't and don't.
http://www.stylingyou.com.au Nikki Parkinson

I am concerned that my husband is now reading your blog for the pictures
http://twitter.com/kirri_white Kirri White

She looks amazing whether she just had a baby or not. She's just doing her thing….I turned the TV on right as her body flashed up, did not know who it was and for a minute thought someone famous had died (because it was the NEWS), but alas, there was no real news. Whatevs…it doesn't make me feel good or bad.
http://www.maxabellaloves.blogspot.com Maxabella

Oh, those smarmies do go on, don't they?! I feel about the same about them parading 'skinny, perfect, model hot-mums' in my face as I always felt when they paraded 'skinny, perfect, model not-mums' in my face. That is to say, yay for them for being genetically blessed in the looks department and particularly amorous of exercise and salad in the characteristics department. Personally I think most of them could do with a hot meal, but I like a bit more plumpness to my beautiful people. To each his / her own, I say.

But I am very embarrassed for any of the celebpretties who let the media use them in the way that it does. Shameful. x
http://www.maxabellaloves.blogspot.com Maxabella

PS – she is reading a tabloid… just saying… nothing. Not saying nuffink. x
http://www.theveggiemama.com Veggie Mama

The more I read this, the more I love what Heidi Klum said, haha!

You're right. Judgement is ugly x
http://www.theveggiemama.com Veggie Mama

Exactly!
http://www.theveggiemama.com Veggie Mama

So true! You just do what you have to do, because that's your life. She was amazing before, and worked hard after. It's not rocket science.
http://www.theveggiemama.com Veggie Mama

They know that people will bite… they play on our insecurities. I think it's ridiculous – nobody but the readers of Harper's Bazaar would ever have known she was naked inside it. Yet they decided to put it in the news section of the morning program. I really don't like it!
http://www.theveggiemama.com Veggie Mama

Ohhh a cook… yes please.
http://www.theveggiemama.com Veggie Mama

Same with mine!
http://www.theveggiemama.com Veggie Mama

SO shouldn't have been in the news section! Commentary maybe, but news? no.
http://www.theveggiemama.com Veggie Mama

*wink*
http://www.theveggiemama.com Veggie Mama

It should not be in the news. Talk about it in a different segment if you really must play on our insecurities and tell us we're failing at being beautiful and having it all, but keep it out of my damn news feed. GAH!
http://www.blogger.com/profile/11194501568692726710 Oh Gorgeous Baby

I agree the media does totally beat up this issue, but as smart women we should know this by now and just ignore it…right? Doesn't make it right but that's the game I suppose and emotions make people react so it's their job to get our attention. I also think those women out there like MK and other super models do work hard to maintain their appearance a hell of a lot more then me (I'm working on it) but my life doesn't revolve around my pay check coming from my appearance(lucky!) We've all just got to remember that everyone from the models to the media are doing their job and the media do this because we do react. Very good post though I love Tge conversation it created.