You can always count on Rihanna to get the internet talking. Last week, the singer and beauty mogul was spotted outside a Manhattan restaurant wearing a loose T-shirt, mini skirt and statement thigh-high boots. After delivering her and A$AP Rocky’s first child in May, her public appearances have been relatively rare – but fans have poured over the release of each new paparazzi set for an opportunity to see her, post-birth. Some of the online chatter about the pictures has focused on her supersized footwear, but much of it has been about her body. Unfortunately.
A few dark corners of social media have spread mean-spirited responses, with some making pointed remarks about Rihanna seemingly retaining the weight that she gained while carrying her son. Thankfully, far more people have hit out against such comments rather than endorsing them. “Let Rihanna enjoy her baby weight and stop body shaming her because she is not rushing to lose weight right away,” read one tweet. Others have praised her for going against the expectations for women to “snap back” to their pre-pregnancy size immediately after giving birth; one fan wrote: “I just wanna personally thank Rihanna for humanising what having a baby does to the body and not forcing her body to have a snap-back.”
