Single Chinese women take maternity photos with fake baby bumps | Tendency

A unique social media trend has taken China by storm, as young single women wear fake pregnant bellies to take maternity photos long before they are actually expecting. Dubbed the “canned photo shoot trend,” the craze is fueled by the desire to capture and celebrate motherhood moments while they’re younger, the newspaper reported. South China Morning Post.

The phenomenon has sparked mixed reactions, particularly among older generations. Many parents steeped in traditional Chinese values ​​are shocked by the popularity of “single but pregnant” imagery, a concept once considered taboo. This trend is developing against a backdrop of falling birth rates and low marriage rates in the country. According to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, only 4.75 million couples registered marriages in the first nine months of 2024, highlighting changing societal dynamics.

The trend gained national attention when Gen Z influencer “Meizi Gege,” who hails from Hunan province and has over 5.7 million followers on a major social media platform, shared her session maternity photo on October 13. In the viral video, the influencer proudly showed it off. a youthful glow and slim figure while wearing a fake pregnancy belly, exclaiming, “Even though I’m still slim, I wore a fake belly to take maternity photos and enjoyed a prefabricated life . I even did it with my best friend!

The video showed behind-the-scenes footage from the photo shoot, including a photographer adding props and an assistant helping to attach the fake belly. Her post inspired many of her followers, with one commenting: “Learned something new.” I’m going to buy a fake belly and take maternity photos while I’m still at my slimmest! Meizi Gege replied humorously: “How can people be so smart! »

Single women prepare for motherhood

This craze has even seen the participation of women in their twenties. A 26-year-old graduate has revealed she already had her maternity photos taken at 23, when she was single. Another young woman shared that she took her wedding photos at 22, explaining: “Just in case I have wrinkles at 30.” »

Participating in this trend is relatively simple. Online stores offer fake bellies in different sizes, mimicking the early, middle and late stages of pregnancy. Many participants are motivated by the desire to ensure they have aesthetically pleasing maternity photos without the changes that pregnancy brings to their bodies.

However, public debate around this trend has raised concerns about its implications. Many claim it reinforces unrealistic beauty standards, with an emphasis on youth, thinness and looking flawless even during pregnancy. Some worry that this may contribute to body image anxiety in new mothers.

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This trend has also sparked humor and satire among Chinese netizens. One joked: “I’m going to take pictures of my 70th birthday now and then post them on social media later.” This will make me look so young! Another joked: “I’ll find time to organize my funeral photos before I die.” » A third commented: “I need to take more photos when I’m still young, so I can use them for online dating when I’m older.” »