Halle Bailey thanks fans who are ‘respectful of women’s bodies’

Halle Bailey is showing her appreciation for her fans.

The actress took to her Instagram story to write a message about both the upsides and the downsides of being a celebrity who is constantly thrown into the public with minimal privacy.

“I just also wanna say,” she wrote on Tuesday, “I’m so very grateful for my real supporters who are respectful of women’s bodies and loving…”

She continued: “Being under a microscope is not easy but for the real ones who show unconditional love religiously I appreciate you. I feel so blessed and grateful.”

The post comes amid rumours that The Little Mermaid star is pregnant. Recently, the actress and singer responded to a comment on Snapchat from a fan who claimed she had a “pregnancy nose” in one of her photos. Bailey made a video response to the comment, in which she told people to leave her alone.

“Listen, if I see one more person say something about my nose one more time, it’s going to be hell to pay,” she said in her response. “You know why? Because I’m Black. I love my nose,” she continued. “What are you concerned about my nose for? Leave me the hell alone.”

Despite subtly addressing the rumours, fans have continued to speculate that The Color Purple actress is pregnant with many people commenting on her recent Instagram post and X, formerly known as Twitter. In the photo, Bailey is standing next to Rachel Zegler to promote Variety‘s “Actors on Actors” series.

The comments are specifically geared toward her outfit in the promotion which is an open white shoulderless flowy dress. The assumption is that the dress is loose to hide a baby bump.

“Baby…we know,” one comment on X read, referencing Bailey’s possible pregnancy. “Now get some couture pregnancy pieces and start slaying these lewks instead of hiding in sack dresses! You could really be eating the pregnant and non pregnant girlies up!!”

Another person agreed, writing under the Instagram post, “I’m offended that you keep trying to hide the pregnancy. Rhiana didn’t. She showed out fashion wise. While being pregnant, it’s something you can celebrate. We are your real fans, so why hide it from US?”

Other commenters defended Bailey, asking for the pregnancy rumours to stop spreading. “Can we stop these pregnancy rumours” one commenter wrote on Instagram. “She doesn’t have to explain herself to anyone. Stop speaking about a woman’s body.”

“Why do people feel so entitled to know her personal business?” another commenter asked. “You are a fan and nothing more or less. You’re not a friend, sister, aunty, brother or whatever. You are a fan of her acting and songs.”

The actress has been with her current boyfriend, rapper DDG, for over a year.

They first sparked relationship rumours in January 2022 when they were seen together at an Usher concert. They went Instagram official and confirmed their relationship when he posted a romantic birthday tribute to Bailey that March.

During her promotion for the live-action Disney movie in May, Bailey opened up to People about whether or not DDG had the ability to be a real-life prince. “People love to talk about this,” she said, before adding, “Yeah. I would say that.”

“I think the best thing about young love is that you’re able to continue to find yourself through this journey of loving somebody else,” she continued. “And you’re discovering new parts of yourself and maybe things that you didn’t notice before about your heart.”

She added: “I feel like things change when love gets more involved in your life. I have definitely discovered more within myself as a woman ... It’s a really cool thing to go through, but a transformative experience.”