Lady Gaga’s one and only sibling, her younger sister Natali Germanotta, got married over the weekend at a picturesque, seaside locale in Maine. How do I know it was picturesque? Because the papa-paparazzi crashed the party and snapped pics of both the rehearsal dinner and the ceremony itself. And as soon as the photos surfaced of Gaga in her maid of honor dress, the controversy began: every outlet is calling the dress “peach,” but there is not even a hint of peach there! The color of this dress is one yawn halfway between bone and ecru, which is fine, the bride should be the star (though I personally think the hue washes Gaga out). I can only assume this is a desperate, midyear ploy by Pantone to make Peach Fuzz still happen for 2024.
What’s this now? Everyone else is talking about whether Gaga looked pregnant in the photos, which led Gaga to issue a denial on TikTok that included a Taylor Swift song reference, and then Taylor actually commented on the post to back Gaga and call speculation on women’s bodies “invasive?” How’d I miss that?
Taylor Swift isn’t here for people speculating about Lady Gaga’s — or any woman’s — body.
The pop superstar, 34, came to the Joker: Folie à Deux star’s defense on Wednesday, June 5, after the latter, 38, posted a TikTok video shutting down pregnancy rumors that sparked over the weekend.
“Can we all agree that it’s invasive & irresponsible to comment on a woman’s body,” Swift wrote in Gaga’s TikTok comments section. “Gaga doesn’t owe anyone an explanation & neither does any woman.”
Gaga denied pregnancy rumors this week in her TikTok while making a cheeky reference to Swift’s song “Down Bad” off her newly-released The Tortured Poets Department album. “Not pregnant – just down bad cryin at the gym,” read large letters at the bottom of the Chromatica artist’s video with a close-up of her bleached eyebrows.
The 10-second clip shows Gaga partially lip-syncing along to audio that says, “I don’t have to find an aesthetic; I am the aesthetic. I mean, I’m sure there’s somebody out here right now who is going into Pinterest trying to type up all these adjectives to describe me.”
The Love For Sale singer then took the opportunity to remind her followers to focus on more important matters, instructing them to “register to vote at www.headcount.org.” She doubled down on the request in her caption, too, writing to fans, “Register to vote or check if you’re registered EASILY at www.headcount.org.”
Gaga’s TikTok video follows rampant pregnancy rumors that began after photos of the singer celebrating her sister Natali Germanotta’s wedding in Maine surfaced on June 3.
Afterward, her makeup artist, Sarah Tanno, came to her defense in a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), where she wrote, “Honestly, it’s really sad that she had to address this because people were commenting about her body.”
She continued, “People should not be allowed to comment on other people’s body, fans have been saying for years that’s she was pregnant, just because how she looks in certain outfits. Why spread a rumor about somebody that you care about or love? It does affect people’s mental health, people should not be body shaming people or assuming they are pregnant when they aren’t!”
Tanno, 43, concluded her message by writing, “Even if she was pregnant, it’s none of your business to know at all. Why are people obsessed with her being pregnant or not?? I don’t get it.”
I am cheering and screaming with applause for Lady Gaga with the way she redirected the message to voter registration. That’s making lemonade out of the world playing body-critical photo assumption of you at a private family event. I’ll be honest, I’m kind of surprised Gaga made a comment at all, given how there was no word from her camp when the engagement rumors blew up in April. (And yes, Mother Monster was wearing the ginormous diamond at the weekend wedding.) So to issue the denial, knowing it would be big news, and connect that spotlight to getting out the vote? Now that’s the move of a classy, patriotic citizen. And for her part, I thought Taylor Swift handled her input just right. Her comment was lean in the best possible way. It packed a punch in 26 words.
And now for my little horror story PSA on the ills of pregnancy speculation: 10 years ago my family was sitting shiva after the passing of my grandmother. My mother, Mama Kismet, felt the best way for her to work through the grief was to be as stoned as possible. So there we are, in a family member’s home, and Mama Kismet answers the door. In her altered state, my mother looks at the woman at the door, and greets her with, “Oh, are you pregnant, or have you just let yourself go like me?” The poor woman had hernias and was days away from surgery! Kids, and parents: don’t do drugs (at wakes), and don’t ask if someone’s pregnant. Whatever you may think in your head, on the outside keep a poker face.
Lady Gaga Denies Pregnancy Rumors After Sister's Wedding Photos Go Viral | Click to read more 👇 https://t.co/3Rs76gH1Qe
— TMZ (@TMZ) June 4, 2024
Photos credit: The Hollywood JR/PopCulture/Backgrid, IMAGO/Jeffrey Mayer/Avalon, Getty and via Twitter
It really sometimes feels like women are not allowed to have a stomach. I remember once I met with a friend (also, a woman) right after having lunch. I had “just ate a good lunch” stomach. She looked at me and asked like “what happened?”. It still feels crazy that I had to explain that I just ate food.
This⬆️❗️I feel badly for Gaga for having to deal with this publicly, and good for TS to support her. This is something far too many women can relate to.
Voting: Today the Dutch are casting their ballots for the EU. My husband and older kid went this morning, and some EU countries are up in the coming days. If you’re an EU citizen, please vote! The far right has been gaining power and is a threat to human rights, the environment, free trade, education, news, etc.
And for my fellow Americans, please sign up to vote if you haven’t done so already! Thank you Gaga to highlighting this ❣️
Thank you ML for highlighting why it’s so important that everyone vote on upcoming elections in their country!
It’s worth the hassle and time if you care about human rights!
A woman at my office once just flat out said to me – aw congratulations! when are you due? I was like……two years ago? that’s just my chicken salad sandwich from lunch. And then I went home and threw out that dress. sigh.
Why do people do this? Unless someone has expressly told you that they are pregnant, you should NEVER assume. In fact, a good general rule: just ignore other women’s bodies and go on with your damn life.
People seriously need to learn to mind their own business smdh.
I’m so sorry someone said that to you.
Like, what? Why do people think it’s appropriate to speak on someone else’s health, pregnancy, body, miscarriage, etc.
As much as I agree with what Taylor’s point, I also know T is self serving and has managed to score some great publicity by jumping into this narrative.
Sorry the comment above is in the wrong place.
That is crazy that you had to explain it. Like back off!!
I remember my ‘best friend’ when we were about 25 or so, had a girlfriend of about 6 years already. He was a 5’4″ conceited mouthpiece misogynistic guy (I know I know, I was going through some things) who thought he was God’s gift. Anyway, he said to me his girlfriend was getting a little pooch and he couldn’t believe she was letting herself go. (she was maybe a size 6) I felt so awful for her and they did end up finally breaking up. Guys (especially) think women have to be perfect but they don’t have to be anything close to it.
Of course, this is also the guy who told me (about a size 16 at the time) that him and his buddy were talking and said I’d be the perfect woman if I just lost some weight. Thinking he was complimenting me. AUGH.
We need to stop commenting on women’s bodies.
On a lighter note, when I was in my early 20’s I worked at Payless Shoes and they had a program where you could get free baby shoes. Guess who had to sign pregnant women up for the program by asking if they would like to? Ya the last time I asked someone she was NOT pregnant and she was NOT happy to be asked if she was. So embarrassing.
It was in York,ME just down the coast from me. Apparently Gaga went in some stores in the area and was beyond lovely.
I think that’s how the paparazzi found out she was in town because a few days before the wedding I saw it on our local social media that she had gone to an ice cream shop and commented how nice it was to walk around town like a normal person. I’m sure some of those guys have alerts for mentions of certain celebs.
Anyways come visit Maine it’s gorgeous right now and come visit KBK!
I used to vacation in beautiful York and when I lived in seacoast NH would take the Piscataqua Bridge over to Maine and travel the little towns along the coast. Loved it and cherished my time living in the area.
We used to vacation in York, ME every September during my childhood. We’d swim in the ocean while my parents froze on the beach watching us. We’d walk every morning to get coffee from the little general store on the main street and search the tidepools in the rocks. Every night we’d get a lobster dinner for super cheap and we’d go to the outlets on the rainy day to go school shopping, which I hated. Because it was the off season, the town would be empty, as a kid I hated that but as an adult, I appreciate that so much. It’s a gorgeous town and I miss going there.
So “Gaga went in some stores in the area and was beyond lovely,” then “commented how nice it was to walk around town like a normal person.” And for that the local people report her to the paparazzi on their social media?
The ice cream shop posted a photo with her on one of the fb pages cause they were exited a celebrity came in. It was sweet and nice and then a local paper picked it up on their social, etc. it’s cool for businesses in this area when someone famous visits and it can really help small local shops like that get more visibility with visitors to the area.
I hear ya but does Vacation Land really need more visitors this time of year? We love Maine but typically visit in the off-season only because the summertime is an absolute shit show with all the tourists. I’m happy for that ice cream shop, regardless. It was probably a real thrill for the owners and customers alike.
Taylor Swift has been getting some comments on social media as well so I’m not surprised she stepped in here to defend Gaga (I guess she has gained some weight? I don’t even know, I can’t tell, if she has it seems minimal to me, but i’m seeing a lot of her “fans” post videos with captions like “she’s not pregnant guys, she just gained a few extra pounds” or something and I’m like…..that’s not really helpful.)
I cannot imagine being in the public eye and having every weight fluctuation or every hand gesture/postural movement judged this way (she’s holding her hand over her belly! She’s standing the way you stand if you’re pregnant! and so on.) So its good to see Gaga calling this out and Swift backing her up.
Interesting that she cares about bodies and not about the black woman her fans won’t leave alone.
I can’t respect Taylor Swift.
Her fans are vile. They are body shaming Billie Eilish for weeks now, photoshopping her pics to make her look fat and giving her fat nicknames. She only spoke up because she didn’t like her fans commenting on her body.
oh I think my general stance on Taylor Swift and her fans is pretty well known here, lol. But even so, the pregnancy speculation is still uncalled for.
Kismet I’d love to attend your next family reunion 😂😂😂
Sigh…I know of sooo many horror stories of people making assumptions they shouldn’t have. Sorry but unless you’ve told me, the baby will have to be crowning in front of me before I assume anything!!
I know it’s just an unfortunate aspect of society that we do make this assumptions. But I also feel like some of it’s coming from some younger women who do not yet know the “joy” of late 30s bloating and weight gain. LOL! Welcome to a glimpse or your future kiddos! 😜
I recently reported youtube videos that said taylor was pregnant based on some concert pictures that were either from a bad angle or my girl was just bloated. It needs to stop
I believe it’s called exhaling. Lol. None of us can hold our core on tight nonstop nor should we have to. This is why so many public women have eating disorders.
Baby Bump Watch has ALWAYS infuriated me. The poor woman is just trying to low key enjoy her life and maybe a little anonymity and she has to worry about paps taking pics of her and folks starting pregnancy rumors. It’s all so damn gross and I’m really happy she and her team addressed it. We need to call this shit out.
Me too, and the tabloids and now people on social media have been doing it to women for decades. It’s especially hurtful when you learn some of the women were going through fertility issues, lost a pregnancy, etc. Everyone should just not comment on it until a person makes an announcement.
I think we as a society are so willfully misinformed about women’s bodies and what they look like – after people eat, the stomach naturally extends. If I have a moderately large meal and a glass of water, and let my stomach relax, I definitely look a few months pregnant (I’ve had one baby already but my stomach did the same thing even before pregnancy). I think women are pushed to present themselves as perfect and as small as possible at all times, so when we see people relaxed, after a meal, not actively ‘posing’.. we assume things about them. We’re just conditioned to expect to see a flat stomach. It’s so wrong.
I read that a lot of women actually really enjoy their pregnant bodies – I certainly did. A big part of it was having ‘permission’ to have a big tummy and never having to hold it in or try to look slim. For several months I could be belly out in full force, not push myself into restrictive clothes – I could always relax and not think about how my stomach looked. It was great and I loved my bump so much!
I read your description of the dress color bone as “bore” which seems accurate. That color is not flattering.
Anything from a large meal, to weight gain, to hernias, to gi issues, to reproductive health issues besides pregnancy can make a belly to appear different. The words “baby bumb” make me cringe. At this point and time differentiating between a real image and ai/photoshopped is really difficult. The fans overstep with this type interest that filters into right wing nonsense.
Taylor is so right. Gaga doesn’t owe anybody any explanations…How else would she be able to profit off leaving easter eggs and hints in her clothing, her songs, her music videos and her tours?
Edit: This is absolutely sarcasm because I know Gaga has struggled with her appearance and with her health…but Taylor, why is this THE issue you decide to speak up on?
Well, she has faced the same speculation the last few months, and Gaga quoted Taylor’s song and maybe they’ve talked about it outside of social media since they’re human and maybe Taylor wanted to defend her friend. Why are we judging what people are defending their friends about now??
LOVE that she used this to encourage people to register and vote.
Is that R Kelly in the photo with them? Ugh.
The photo is from 2013 after she’d done the single “Do What U Want” with him, so likely yes. That was before the last of the accusations that finally took him down legally came out.
I have endometriosis and there are periods of time when my symptoms are bad and my lower abdomen bloats to the point where I need a set of pants 3-4 sizes larger. Idiots make pregnancy comments to me when the reality is my fertility is the opposite of their assumptions.
Every time I’m hopeful that Gen Zs will lead social progress, I see this kind of behavior all over social media and I’m disappointed all over again.
That’s awful! I’m sorry you have to go through that. I watch tennis, and Danielle Collins in the WTA has endometriosis as well and has had to deal with the speculation and interrogation of her body as well. Even super toned and fit athletes have fluctuating bodies. It’s absurd we as women have to deal with this crap.
I remember when I was about 12, I was swimming with my cousin who was about 18 and he was in the pool while I was walking to the diving board and he said “wow, Ness, your thighs are getting HUGE”. (I was a chubby kid but normal and healthy! hereditary!) I have not put on a bathing suit to this day. I was a fish when I was a kid as I loved swimming so much and I haven’t been swimming in at least 25 years. (I went a few times in shorts and a t shirt) It’s pretty sad that it can affect you so much but it truly does.
Gaga is petite like me (5”1) and we’re both quite slim but not skinny. Anyway we petite girls have less room for our weight to spread plus our body’s are shorter in length. Even when I have been my skinniest I have always had a belly.
Anyway Gaga look cute.
I’m the same height. This is “5’1 and ate a bowl of pasta.”
Bla bla bla. If Taylor has to comment on it, that means it’s true. Maybe a surrogate?
We will see a baby, when she wants us to see it.
Lady Gaga has had SO much plastic surgery, she most DEFINITELY was not “born this way” ha ha