Giuliana Rancic Invites Some Ugly Mommy-Shaming By Saying She Puts Her Marriage Before Her Child
It’s an age-old motherhood debate: who do you love more, husband or child? It’s a debate that I’ve always found slightly ridiculous, because I don’t find these two kinds of love to be comparable at all. And still, women have been proclaiming their allegiance and judging those on the other side of the debate for decades now. The most recent mom to throw her hat into the circle of this fight is Giuliana Rancic, inviting some serious mommy-shaming by saying that she puts husband, Bill Rancic, above her son.
The Fashion Police host and reality television personality recently welcomed a son Duke, via gestational surrogate after years of difficulty trying to get pregnant, including miscarriage and treatment for breast cancer. She told Us Weekly that having a child hasn’t changed the way she prioritizes her marriage.
”˜We’re husband and wife, but we’re also best friends, and it’s funny because a lot of people, when they have kids, they put the baby first, and the marriage second. That works for some people. For us, I find, we put our marriage first and our child second, because the best thing we can do for him is have a strong marriage. So we’re even stronger than we ever were before and even imagined we could be.’
Rancic was obviously attempting to make the comment less offensive. She goes out of her way to mention that the viewpoint isn’t meant for everyone and that she’s talking about a personal choice. That didn’t stop the mommy-shaming though. A selection of Daily Mail comments:
From Lucy:
“First tiny dogs, now babies…. Babies have become quite an accessory in hollywood and to her this baby was a way to keep up with the Jones… Do anything to stay in the press to further her career. I wish she stops making it about her and focuses on her family.”
From Evie:
“Maybe her comments have something to do with the fact that she didn’t carry the baby for nine months, nor did she give birth to him. Mrs. Rancic used a surrogate for her baby due to some cancer related health issues. Then, why does one have to come before or after the other? Why a first and a second?”
From La Dee Da:
“Don’t believe the hype, her career is the most important, her husband and the baby are decoys for her image to show she is a normal mother and wife, children must and should be #1, that husband of hers can find himself someone younger and prettier and be gone and then she will see where her priorities should be.”
From Ruby Jones:
“I’m sure if she had the baby herself she’d think differently…”
To be fair, there were plenty of other commenters standing up for Giuliana and agreeing that they too, put their marriage first. But these nasty comments, especially the ones implying that Giuliana is somehow not as much of a mother because she didn’t carry her baby herself, are completely out-of-line and despicable.
This entire debate just seems so ridiculous. The idea that mothers have to “choose” who love more or better makes no sense. If your family, as a whole, is your top priority, then hopefully everyone in it will feel loved and secure.
I’m not offended by Giuliana’s comment, just like I’m not offended by someone who believes that they love their children first. I am offended by the instinct to insult anyone who thinks differently.
(Photo: Travis Wade/WENN.com)
