Meghan Trainor is pushing back after online critics took issue with her decision to use a surrogate to welcome her third child.
Following waves of commentary questioning her motives (and the ethics of surrogacy itself), the singer explained in an interview with PEOPLE on Wednesday that past pregnancy trauma and severe postpartum complications made carrying another child unsafe.
"Just another beautiful way to build a family"
On Tuesday, Trainor posted a set of photos on Instagram featuring baby Mikey Moon, her third child. She made sure to thank the "incredible, superwoman surrogate" who delivered Mikey, adding that "this was the safest way for us to be able to continue growing our family."
Trainor has said in the past that she wants a big family—with at least four kids—and will do whatever it takes to achieve that goal. Unfortunately, two difficult pregnancies left her with significant post-partum distress, including PTSD after her first son ended up in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Despite all this being on the record already, commenters accused her of opting for surrogacy for vanity reasons.
"The concept of a rich woman buying a poor woman's womb then holding the baby in her arms and crying as if she had given birth herself. Nobody can convince me that this isn't diabolical. I have no respect for any of this," wrote @ladymysticalwmn in a tweet that racked up nearly 123,000 likes.
On X, @angelsswift claimed that "the ozempic face and use of a surrogate are connected."
Others called her "performative" for laying in bed with the new baby topless, though that was likely to establish skin-to-skin contact for bonding. The biggest debate, however, is over whether the practice of surrogacy is exploitative.
The backlash was strong enough to prompt the PEOPLE interview. Trainor defended her decision by insisting that there's no wrong way to make a family.
"I want people to know that surrogacy is just another beautiful way to build a family," she said. "It’s not something to whisper about or judge. It’s rooted in trust, science, love, and teamwork. Every family’s journey looks different, and all of them are extremely valid."
She went on to praise the surrogate once more, adding that they "felt so connected throughout the entire journey."
Is surrogacy ethical?
Debate over the ethical ramifications of surrogacy continued in comments unabated. Some commenters invoked dystopian comparisons to The Handmaid's Tale or made extreme claims about surrogacy—accusations that have no basis in fact.
On Instagram, @jazzylibrary wrote that "the exploitation of women’s reproductive capacity should be judged," adding, "poor women are not incubators."
"This is the peak capitalism & patriarchy," said @qwsed90m. "Rich women renting other women's bodies shouldn't be normalized."
"Surrogacy is one of the most self-important and brutal practices and is no more ethical than breeding livestock," claimed @juztthefax on X.
Some, however, did come out to defend Trainor—and every other woman shamed for how she had a baby.
"The comments say it all about todays society!!" wrote @lovemyevery82.
"Margot Robbie was shamed for he pregnancy body, Millie Bobbie Brown was shamed for adopting, Lily Collins was shamed for using a surrogate and now @meghantrainor is shamed too!! This just goes to show that no matter what as women when it comes to becoming a mum we're shamed for it!!"
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