Meghan Markle and the royal pregnancy announcement: media mis/reporting of advanced maternal age. Issue 5 (4th July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Feasey, Rebecca
• Is Part Of: Journal of gender studies. Volume 31:Issue 5(2022)
• Page Start: 547
• Page End: 559
• Publication Date: 2022-07-04
• Subjects: Meghan Markle -- 'geriatric' pregnancy -- age-shaming -- advanced maternal age -- age-related in/fertility -- women's magazines; Feminism -- Periodicals; Women -- Periodicals; Gender identity -- Periodicals; Sex role -- Periodicals; Sexual orientation -- Periodicals; Féminisme -- Périodiques; Femmes -- Périodiques; Identité sexuelle -- Périodiques; Rôle selon le sexe -- Périodiques; Orientation sexuelle -- Périodiques; 305.3
• DOI: 10.1080/09589236.2021.1934658
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0958-9236

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Although Meghan Markle has been both championed and challenged for negotiating extant representations of marriage and romance, race, class and feminism, more recently the former actress found herself at the centre of a debate over in/fertility and 'geriatric' motherhood. Using Markle as a case in point, the women's magazine, health, beauty and celebrity entertainment sector demonstrated concern for the high alarm strategies being presented in relation to older motherhood. With this in mind, this article will look at the gendered magazine sector and question the ways in which their narratives of advanced maternal age in general, and their commentary on Markle's successful royal pregnancy in particular can be understood as either a productive or problematic step in opening up a debate about advanced maternal age, pregnancy and age-related in/fertility.