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Vanessa Bryant has faced speculation that she is pregnant.
More than five years after her family faced an unthinkable tragedy, she of course has every right to live her life.
Even as she honors those she lost, her family might one day grow again.
But is she actually pregnant, as the rumors claim? Here’s what we know:
The rumor: Vanessa Bryant is pregnant
In late May, rumors that Vanessa Bryant might be pregnant emerged — at first, seemingly out of nowhere.
The beloved widow is 43 years old, so a pregnancy is likely very possible. But where did these rumors originate?
As the days continued, it became clear that these theorists were pointing to specific images in which she might be concealing a baby bump.
Of course, with no clear timeline on the pics, fans weren’t sure what to make of it.
Obviously, some were quick to rush to congratulate Vanessa Bryant for allegedly being pregnant.
As we here at THG have repeatedly stressed, the time to talk to someone about their pregnancy is when they tell you that they are pregnant, or when you see the baby crowning.
Standard social politeness means never jumping the gun on this kind of alleged development.
Clearly, enough people were jumping to conclusions for Bryant to see the rumor. And she issued a response.
So what is the truth?
On Sunday, June 1, Vanessa Bryant took to her Instagram Story to debunk the claim that she is pregnant.
And she got a little help from Rihanna. Sort of.
As you can see in the screenshot, she decided to hit back at the claims, writing:
“Me protecting my peace, not pregnant & having fun all summer.”
Bryant used a string of classic Rihanna paparazzi photos in which the phenomenal singer was carrying a drink and wearing snorkeling gear — and had opted to flip the bird at photographers who were capturing her summer fun.
The message is clear: Vanessa Bryant is not pregnant and has no plans to become pregnant (at the very least, for the duration of the summer, which begins on the night of June 20 and ends in the afternoon of September 22).
Additionally, she’s clearly — albeit by proxy — flipping the bird at people who are hassling her with rumors.
Especially given that pregnancy rumors so often carry an undercurrent of body-shaming. Enough is enough.
This is an understandably sensitive topic
Despite the online chatter about Baby #5, Vanessa Bryant has only welcomed four children.
Natalia is 22. Bianka is 8. Capri is 5.
Gianna was in her early teens when she tragically passed away alongside her father, Kobe Bryant, in early 2020.
