The Horrible Way Victoria Beckham Was Treated While Pregnant

The '90s might be long gone, but for Victoria Beckham, times haven't exactly changed. When her husband, David Beckham, appeared on "The River Cafe Table 4" podcast, in 2022, the iconic footballer detailed how he found joy in sharing great food with his loved ones, but he was, unfortunately, unable to do so with his wife because she follows a strict diet consisting of grilled fish and steamed vegetables. In a subsequent episode, Victoria revealed that salt on toast was her go-to comfort food. 

The internet didn't receive this information too kindly, with commentators suggesting it pointed to an eating disorder. However, the former Spice Girl clarified to Grazia magazine that she prioritizes health over restrictions. "It's not about being a certain size. It's about knowing who you are and being happy with who you are," she explained. "I have found my own balance between wanting to have fun and being disciplined about eating healthily and working out." 

But social media still wasn't convinced, and over the years, people have found it hard to believe that Victoria doesn't suffer from anorexia, partly because of the horrible way the media has treated her throughout her career, especially through her pregnancies. After Victoria welcomed her firstborn, Brooklyn, via Cesarean section in 1999, tabloids slammed her, body-shamed her, and called the fashion designer "too posh to push." At the time, she stayed silent, presumably because there was no way the fashion designer could win against the media's scathing remarks. But, in 2023, she finally broke her silence on the matter.

In David and Victoria Beckham's docuseries "Beckham," she asserted that it wasn't her choice to have a C-section. "In the end, they told me that I had to have a Caesarean section," Victoria recalled. "And I remember the headlines. 'Too Posh to Push.' I wasn't too posh to push, I was told it would not be safe for me to be put into labor." When the interviewer jokingly asked David if he threw darts at cut-outs of those same tabloids, he replied, "No. I framed it," (via People). 

The couple also got candid about fearing for their newborn's safety because they received death and kidnapping threats. David revealed that he turned down Victoria's offer to sleep in bed with her and Brooklyn because he wanted to sleep facing the door to fight anybody who tried to break in. Victoria also admitted that having all that negative attention boring down on them stole some of the happiness a normal couple would experience at the birth of their first child. 

She argued, "Imagine having a baby and having death threats. David had to play knowing this was all going on and I was on my own in an apartment with a baby. I'd go to the games with Brooklyn and the abuse was – it's hard to explain," (via The Sun). Things got even more problematic when Victoria appeared on Chris Evans' "TFI Friday" show in 1999 and the host probed into her post-pregnancy weight loss.

When TV host Chris Evans asked Victoria Beckham how she shed her pregnancy weight so quickly, the former pop star laughed off the question. Though it was obvious that Victoria was uncomfortable, Evans persisted, demanding to know whether she had returned to her pre-pregnancy weight. Before Victoria could answer, he beckoned her to step on a weighing scale and announced her weight, despite her evident discomfort as the audience cheered.

Speaking to Vogue Australia in 2022, Victoria acknowledged she'd dropped the weight quickly but reasoned, "It happened to my mum after her pregnancies. It doesn't mean you have an eating disorder. And he made me stand on the scales to be weighed. Can you imagine doing that nowadays?" She also reckoned with some of the media's horrible comments from the time: "I've had 'Porky Posh', I've had 'Skeletal Posh'. After I had Brooklyn, there was a picture pointing to every single part of my body where I had to focus on losing the weight from." 

Despite her stunning transformation, Victoria has her body hang-ups just like everybody else. In a Harper's Bazaar interview, Victoria confirmed that she embraces her flaws because they're a part of her, noting, "It's taken me a long, long time to recognize that by 45 years old, actually I'm all right." Instead of obsessing over her perceived shortcomings, she focuses on the wonderful life that she has created with her family.

If you need help with an eating disorder, or know someone who does, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA's Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).