“I hope to live in a world where there are more pregnant women, bellies out, and more breastfeeding moms, breasts out, in public.”
It’s been a few weeks since a billboard of a pregnant woman was removed from its spot in Times Square, igniting a firestorm all across social media. After the initial disappointing censorship, there’s been a positive update for Molly Baz, the chef and cookbook author whose image (and belly) was at the center of the controversy: Special K has made Baz the first pregnant woman to ever appear on a cereal box. The limited-time collaboration is part of the cereal brand’s “Special for a Reason” campaign, which features “inspiring individuals.” As part of the partnership, Special K will donate $25,000 to United Way’s Women United program, which works to solve issues impacting women and girls across the U.S., including teen pregnancy and economic instability, and provide resources like career guidance and mentorship. Baz’s cereal box depicts her wearing an open bomber jacket and matching pants, with a crop top pulled up to reveal her pregnant belly, as she digs into a bowl of cereal. (You can pre-order a box or two online, with shipments beginning in late July.)
A quick recap on the billboard controversy in case you missed it: Baz had partnered with Swehl, a breastfeeding company, on a cookie recipe whose ingredients promote lactation. They put up a billboard in Times Square that showed Baz baring her pregnant belly and holding two cookies up to her chest. But after the ad was supposedly “flagged for review,” the image was swapped out for a different one — one where Baz wasn’t baring her stomach — after just three days.
When Baz posted about her disappointment and outrage over the billboard being taken down, she was met with an outpouring of support — and the firestorm sparked conversations about the double standards and sexism of how women’s bodies are viewed in advertising. In short, seeing billboards of women in lingerie and bikinis doesn’t raise any eyebrows, but a shirtless woman whose body is not being sexualized is cause for alarm, apparently. Fortunately, many brands do not agree with this outdated view and sprung into action. Days after the ad was taken down, probiotic company Seed decided to donate their billboard space in Times Square to put Baz’s image back up. And soon, Baz will be in grocery stores and pantries nationwide.
We caught up with Baz about the whirlwind she’s experienced since her ad with Swehl was taken down, her partnership with Special K, and how she’s preparing for motherhood.
Katie Couric Media: How have things been since we last caught up after the billboard situation? Do you think any positives have come from it?
Molly Baz: Absolutely. I’m an optimist, so I tend to see the bright side of things. I believe the message we intended to send through the Swehl campaign got amplified in a bigger and better way than we ever imagined it would after its censorship. So, there’s a silver lining to it all. It raised awareness on a massive level around the double standard that exists in our society — in advertising and beyond — regarding how we portray the female form, and when it is and is not deemed “appropriate.” There’s clearly a lot of work to do on the subject matter, especially when it comes to the notion of breastfeeding in public, but I feel grateful to have learned through this experience that despite it all, there are a whole lot of people who stand firmly on the right side of the convo.
How did you get in touch with Special K, and why did you decide to partner with them?
Special K reached out to me toward the end of my pregnancy, shortly after my billboard for a breastfeeding empowerment brand was removed from its post in Times Square. Their idea to partner signaled to me that this is a brand that celebrates the female body, motherhood, and, more broadly, women in a really authentic way. It wasn’t hard to say yes to being asked to be the first pregnant woman featured on a cereal box, but it’s not a responsibility I take lightly. I hope this campaign makes pregnant and postpartum mothers everywhere feel a little more seen.
Why was doing this campaign important to you? What are you hoping to achieve or what message do you want people to know?
Special K reached out asking me to be unapologetically me. They asked very little of me other than to show up as who I am: an ambitious working woman beyond excited, slightly nervous, and totally unprepared for what’s ahead. The Special for a Reason campaign is all about celebrating real people in their real lives, and that’s what I hope will come across. Pregnancy and the pregnant body are miracles beyond comprehension, and I believe that as a society, we should embrace — no, celebrate — those miracles, not shy away from them. I hope to live in a world where there are more pregnant women, bellies out, and more breastfeeding moms, breasts out, in public because that’s the reality of what goes on day in and day out in the homes of incredible mothers everywhere. Why should we hide behind closed doors? There’s nothing shameful or taboo about bringing life into this world and feeding a human being with your own body.
How does it feel to be pregnant and building your family amid all this movement?
Never in my wildest dreams did I think a campaign for Special K would end up being the very last thing I do before I pop this baby out. Being 39 weeks pregnant, on set, shooting with one of my favorite cereals of all time, to be featured on their cereal box?! You have to be kidding me! Building a family is something I always knew I would do but couldn’t quite find the right time to initiate. It took many years to warm to the idea. But I’m here now and couldn’t be more excited. It’s been a long process of learning to accept the unknown, to trust that I can and will continue to be me and to foster my career whilst raising a child because that’s how I wish to do it, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The past nine months have been both deeply introspective and transformative, and I haven’t even popped out a baby yet. I can’t imagine how much perspective shift and transformation lie ahead.
