‘Vanderpump Rules’ star was shamed for her postpartum body in red carpet photo

It is both exhausting and disparaging to see people trolling women’s bodies via online comments, but unfortunately, it’s something that happens with mind-numbing regularity. Brittany Cartwright, known for starring on Vanderpump Rules, was apparently on the receiving end of some incredibly unkind commentary after photos surfaced of her wearing a body-con dress to a red carpet premiere last week.

Brittany Cartwright is three months postpartum. This means she expelled an entire human being from her insides just 12 weeks ago.

And yet, people on the internet felt the need to tear her down after such a celebratory accomplishment and joyous milestone in her life.

Cartwright and her husband, Jax Taylor, welcomed their son Cruz back in April. On July 19, the couple attended the premiere for Midnight in the Switchgrass, where they both looked happy to be out and about. Cartwright looked positively stunning in her red dress.

Frazer Harrison/Getty

Apparently, Cartwright stumbled across more than a few unkind comments, where people said she still looked “pregnant” at the event.

So she addressed them in her Instagram Story over the weekend.

“I keep seeing the comments that I look pregnant here,” she wrote on her Story alongside the photo from the premiere. “Well guess what? I probably do—I just had a baby 3 months ago and my body is healing and I’m working hard to get back in shape.”

She shouldn’t have to defend herself or her body ever, but especially not after giving birth so recently. It’s downright cruel to body-shame anyone for any reason, but it’s particularly galling to shame a postpartum person for being…postpartum.

“Every body is different, every pregnancy is different,” she continued. “I’m so proud of this body, it gave me the best blessing I could ever imagine & on top of it all, I felt great this night.”

Stealing the joy from a woman who is looking and feeling her best is what’s really shameful here.

On Monday, Cartwright shared a photo of herself in workout gear prior to a session with her personal trainer.

Birthing people don’t owe anyone outside of their babies anything. Also? “Snapback” culture is toxic and incredibly damaging. Like Cartwright says, every body is different. And each one deserves celebration, not scorn.