Reflecting a changing social landscape, single women in China are now opting for maternity photo shoots with fake bellies, capturing this milestone in their lives despite the country's declining birth rate and low marriage rates. This trend, as reported by the South China Morning Mail (SCMP), challenges traditional Chinese values that once stigmatized single pregnancy.
The rise of this trend can be attributed to women's desire to take beautiful maternity photos while maintaining their current physique, and anticipating possible body changes during future pregnancies.
The trend of “premade maternity photos” gained national attention after a Generation Z influencer shared a video and photos of her experience on social media. Meizi Gege, who has more than 5.7 million followers on a prominent social media platform, explains: “Although I am still slim, I wore a fake belly to take maternity photos and enjoyed a ready-made life. I did it even with my best friend!”
In the video, Meizi proudly shows off her slim figure while wearing the 'fake belly'. According to SCMP, a 26-year-old woman revealed that she took her maternity photos at age 23 despite not being married, while another woman said she would take wedding photos at age 22, “just in case I'm on my 30th wrinkles.”
However, the trend has sparked criticism for promoting narrow beauty standards that idealize being “white, thin and young.” Critics claim it promotes body image anxiety among new mothers by perpetuating the unrealistic expectation that women should maintain a youthful, slim figure during pregnancy.
One user wrote: “I'll take my 70th birthday pictures now and post them on social media later. It'll make me look so young!”
“I will find some time to arrange my funeral photos before I die,” another user wrote on the Chinese social media platform.
