Kourtney Kardashian has spoken out about the mental toll of pregnancy rumours, so can we stop making assumptions based on women’s bodies?

At this point, I must confess I, too, have a tummy that goes out rather than in. And when I see celebrities who also have this neat, biological quirk, it temporarily makes me feel seen – as though it would be totally normal for someone like me to one day walk a red carpet, maybe even wearing vintage Mugler.

Of course, it wouldn’t be normal for someone like me to walk the red carpet (at least without being referred to as ‘plus-size’, ‘pregnant’, or – quite simply – ‘worst dressed’. Kourtney’s tummy might be considered bigger according to Hollywood standards of beauty, but it’s still tiny compared to mine, and at a size 14, I’m still slightly smaller than the UK’s national average (size 16). Frankly, it’s utterly demoralising to see a public figure be labelled ‘pregnant’ when they’re still significantly smaller than most women. 

The Kardashians have long been held responsible (often justifiably) for perpetuating an unrealistic standard of beauty. But – in this situation at least – it’s people at home, like you and me, who are furiously tweeting about the size of Kourtney’s tummy. Dare I say it, I think we’re the problem?

Moving away from my own body hang-ups, we need to talk about how it’s kind of gross to say someone looks pregnant when they’re actively trying for a baby? 

In the Kardashian family’s new reality TV show, aptly named The Kardashians, Kourtney spoke to Kris Jenner about the body-shaming she experienced, saying, “Every single person on social media is always like, ‘Kourtney’s pregnant,’ […] ‘Kourtney’s gained so much weight.’ And I’m like, it’s so rude to comment on people when you have no idea what they’re actually going through.”

She added, “The medication that they’ve been giving me, they put me into menopause. Literally into menopause.”

It’s also worth remembering that one of the many side effects of IVF treatment is bloating – you know, that biological process where your tummy feels swollen? Of course, there’s no point speculating about whether Kourtney is experiencing any of these side effects, her tummy still looks tiny even by Hollywood’s standards. 

It does, however, beg the question: would you ever question the size of a friend’s tummy? Probably (hopefully) not. Would you even consider questioning the size of a friend’s tummy if they were undergoing IVF treatment? Definitely not. So why is it OK to level this kind of interrogation at Kourtney? 

It’s far from the first time Kourtney has had to defend herself against pregnancy speculation due to the size of her tummy. 

Back in November 2021, Kourtney posted a series of pictures on Instagram of herself taking a sunset pool dip with her daughter, Penelope. According to People, one person commented, “Not to be that girl but… is that a preg belly,” to which Kourtney (quite rightly) replied, “Are we really gonna do this every time I post a photo?”

Before that, in 2020, Kourtney shut down another commentator who asked if she was pregnant, saying (via People), “This is me when I have a few extra pounds on, and I actually love it […] I have given birth three amazing times and this is the shape of my body.”