Chinese singles are doing photoshoots with fake bumps

Oh baby, we’ve entered the madness of the maternity age.

Young women in China are paying for fake maternity photo shoots because they want “beautiful” pregnancy photos while they’re still in their physical prime.

The strange phenomenon drew national attention in October after Gen Z influencer Meizi Gege, in her early twenties, strapped on an artificial belly and posed for the camera.

“While I’m still thin, I’ve worn a fake belly for maternity photos and enjoyed a pre-planned life. I did it with my best friend too!” The beauty told her 5.7 million followers, according to the South China Morning Post.

China’s infamous one-child policy officially ended in 2015 amid concerns about an aging population and falling birth rates.

However, almost a decade later, the birth rate is still declining, according to the SCMP.

In China, the average age of women giving birth to their first child rose from 26.4 to 27.4 between 2019 and 2022, “indicating that fewer families are choosing to have children and further dragging down birth rates for second and third children.” third”.

In the city of Shanghai, the average age of first-time mothers has reached 30.36, pushing back the overall birth average. : Age: until 31.18, Global Times reported.

In their thirties, many Chinese women feel they are past their physical prime, prompting young women to rush to photo studios before they are engulfed by stretch marks and any unwanted weight experienced during an actual pregnancy.

After Meizi Gege revealed that she posed for fake pregnancy photos, others also admitted to doing the same.

A 26-year-old woman stated that she took her maternity photos when she was 23, despite not even being married.

Another praised Meizi Gege and admitted they would book their date.

“I learned something new. I’m going to buy a fake belly and take maternity photos while I’m still at my skinniest!” the enthusiastic ones.

According to the SCMP investigation, fake baby bumps are readily available and bought online and come in different sizes, meaning women can take pictures that make them appear to be at different stages of pregnancy.

However, it’s not just maternity photos that young Chinese Zoomers are faking.

One single woman said she had fake wedding photos taken at the age of 22 “just in case I have wrinkles in my 30s”.

The phenomenon has been widely condemned by many who believe it promotes body image issues and “white, thin and young” beauty standards.

Meanwhile, they find the photoshoots ripe for mockery.

“I’m going to take my 70th birthday photos now and then post them on social media later. It will make me look so young!” one critic scoffed under Meizi Gege’s video.

Another claimed they would get a head in their funeral photos so they would look good when they died.