Viral Hashtag Inspires Women To Share Photos Of Their Stomachs

Women everywhere showed solidarity with Caitriona Balfe and her stomach

When will people learn that we never, ever ask a woman if she’s pregnant if we’re not 100% sure of the answer or her willingness to give it? We do not comment on women’s bodies. Ever. Period. And yet, that didn’t stop people on Twitter from questioning the gestational status of Outlander‘s Caitriona Balfe after she posted a photo of herself recently. Sigh.

Balfe was recently at an event promoting everyone’s favorite STARZ show (holler to the Outlander fans out there) with co-star Sam Heughan, and the duo snapped a photo with 50 Cent (as you do). Balfe posted the pic to Twitter and not long after, became inundated fans asking if she was pregnant.

First of all, who does that? Why? It’s never okay to do that! Secondly, um, how on earth would anyone come to that conclusion before all others based on this photo? Luckily, Balfe set everyone straight immediately.

“No, I’m not pregnant, just having my period and was bloated,” she tweeted. “So yeah…thanks for asking.” She included the hashtag #NotAllStomachsAreWashboards to cement her point.

What she probably wasn’t counting on was her reluctant response going viral — along with the hashtag — among women everywhere. Not only because endless pregnancy speculation for celebrities and us normals is exhausting at best, but because it’s 2019 and beyond time recognize that women’s’ bodies come in all shapes and sizes. Especially depending on the time of the month, health issues, meals, and so forth.

The responses are truly fantastic, and you’ll immediately feel a sense of empowerment after combing through some of them.

“I’m not pregnant, it’s not flat, and it’s none of your business.” OMG, can someone slap that on a sticker or etch it onto a sweater on Etsy or something? Amazing.

Seriously, these women are EVERYTHING.

If you’ve ever watched Outlander (and if you haven’t — GET ON IT), you know that, uh, we’ve seen the whole entire bodies of the main characters. Often. And if Caitriona Balfe, in all her long, lean, former model, Irish beauty glory catches flack for being the slightest bit bloated — well, trolls gonna troll. And even well-meaning, curious fans can show their complete lack of self-awareness.

I don’t see anyone asking Sam Heughan rude questions about his body. Leave Claire and Jamie alone, damn it! Let us have our nice things.

Balfe likely wasn’t expecting her response to a few rude questions to have such an impact on women worldwide, but it turns out pretty much all of us can relate. And she is here for it.

After several years of PCOS and two babies, my own stomach will never look like it did way back when. Heck, it won’t ever even look as good as Caitriona Balfe’s on her worst day.

But now we all know what to say if we ever find ourselves the target of stomach speculation: Not flat, not pregnant, not your business. Amen.