GKvtCiJVl2
You may know her as Michaela Pratt, the overachieving law student we both loved and loved to hate on How To Get Away With Murder, but Aja Naomi King is much more than just that. For many, she’s a beacon of positivity.
Appointed one of the global ambassadors for L’Oréal Paris back in 2017, she’s always been outspoken on matters pertaining to beauty ideals, diversity and the importance of truly learning to love yourself. Something that is at times easier said than done, she tries to embrace all sides of herself with that also extending to her newly post-partum body. Posting three beautiful images of her unfiltered self on Instagram, King announced the birth of her first child alongside an equally beautiful caption. It reads:
“No, this is not a pregnancy Before picture. This is the After. After days of labor. After experiencing what felt like my insides being ripped apart, no lie. After experiencing the unimaginable beauty of childbirth, this is what is left behind. This Gorgeous Body!
“So in celebration of myself and my body for “Doing the Damn Thing”, I wanted to share this photo. No make up, no editing, no filters (and you know I love a filter!)…Just Me…a woman in awe of her Body and her Baby!”
Thousands of comments in support of the actress’ realness flooded in with model Iskra Lawerence and mum-to-be Leigh Anne Pinnock amongst those that praised her. Very forthcoming about her pregnancy journey thus far, King first announced she was expecting back in March. Revealing that she had previously miscarried twice, she said that was “deeply moved” to speak of her own experience by all the women who have openly spoken of theirs.
“I really can’t begin to express the fullness of our immense joy to be welcoming a baby into our family. With that I also want to express that this beautiful journey has not been devoid of heartbreak. This is my beautiful little rainbow baby,” she wrote at the time.
“I’ve been so deeply moved by the women who have openly shared their miscarriages. It brought me solace in a time that was incredibly painful to know I wasn’t alone. To understand that this experience is common, horrible but still common.
“I suffered two miscarriages and even now trying to capture what it felt like in words is simply absurd to me because I will never have language enough for it.
“At first I wasn’t sure about sharing my experience because I felt like so many other people had way worse experiences than I did, but I realized that I can’t treat pain like an Olympic sport, as if it’s a competition and only those who have the worst stories win the right to talk about it. No matter the size of it in your mind, pain is pain and loss is loss, whatever the degree. And once you are touched by it, it stays with you forever.”
Admitting that “it’s been hard” not to carry her fear with her throughout her pregnancy, she hoped that her candour would help others “to feel a little less alone”.
Feature image via @ajanaomi_king