We’ve had six days to let it sink in that Baby Bieber is really happening—the internet sleuths reporting from Hawaii and the Met-Gala-missed-appearances speculators have all relished in being right—there is finally a baby on the way. The world has collectively sent congratulations to the famous parents-to-be…and now it’s time to leave them the hell alone. (I’d also like to extend that courtesy to Bieber-ex Selena Gomez, who—not that it matters—appears to be in a happy relationship of her own.)
If 2024 has taught us anything, it’s that the intense scrutiny and wild speculation that runs rampant on the internet when it comes to the health, well-being, marital status, potential baby bumps, and pregnancy waddles of celebrities is crazy. Look no further than the Kate Middleton fiasco. We literally forced her to tell us she had cancer before she was ready, and that’s assuming she was ever going to be ready. We’ve also gotten a glimpse into how this frenzy affects actresses like Halle Bailey, who made it clear that not sharing her pregnancy news was an act of mental health preservation, and Hilary Duff, who felt the need to make a statement on Instagram that she would no longer answer questions about when her baby was due because her fans Would. Not. Stop. Asking.
Social media has probably (definitely) brought this to a fever pitch, but the tabloids of the late 90s and early 2000s set the precedent. Remember when Jennifer Aniston was hounded about her desire—or lack thereof—to have a baby? It turns out she was struggling with infertility the entire time. The point is that even famous people deserve some level of privacy when it comes to their personal lives—especially during particularly vulnerable life events, like trying to have or expecting a baby.
All it takes is a little empathy. If you’ve had a child, think back to how you felt—getting pregnant, preparing for a baby, and then actually bringing this tiny, helpless being into the world while simultaneously trying to fit the pieces of yourself back together. It can feel so scary to love someone so much and also be solely responsible for their safety and wellbeing. Yes, even with famous-people resources, I have to imagine the oh-shit-I-am-the-adult feeling is still there.
Then, add the scrutiny of the entire internet, paparazzi chasing you down, and an onslaught of social media comments that chip away at your self-worth, and it’s a recipe for anxiety. I don’t pretend to know what that’s like to be famous and expecting (I seriously doubt my neighbors even recognize me), but it can’t be easy. I have enough regular-person mom anxiety to know that adding that particular brand of fear-inducing icing on top would send me over the edge. You better believe I’d be keeping my pregnancy a secret as long as possible, too. (Hailey’s rep confirmed that she’s a little over six months pregnant right now.)
The thing is, Hailey has actually talked about her hesitancy to start a family for this very reason, telling The Sunday Times in 2023, “I literally cry about this all the time! I want kids so bad, but I get scared. It’s enough that people say things about my husband or my friends. I can’t imagine having to confront people saying things about a child.”
Friends, she literally told us she has heightened anxiety about having a kid. So no matter how you feel about the Biebers, let’s try to give them a little space and grace as they go through this universally mind-blowing transformation into parenthood. No need to make the experience even more chaotic by tracking their every move, putting the bump on baby watch, and making moral judgments that don’t concern us (and then telling them about it on Instagram.)
Becoming a parent has a way of bringing everything into focus and shifting your priorities drastically. I’m willing to bet that’s true even for the more well-known among us. Not one person can escape the mistakes they’ve made before having a little squish that inevitably becomes the center of their universe—the difference is the entire world isn’t judging their past and throwing it in their face at every turn.
So, let’s do the Biebers a solid and carry on as though this pregnancy is a happy occasion that really has no bearing on our own lives, because the reality is it doesn’t.
