By Brooklyn White Photos by Kei Thomas What is sexiness? Is it a look, an article of clothing, an overall vibe? It depends on who you ask. To me, itâs confidence. Itâs inner knowing. Itâs the meeting of the emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental. A few months back, someone flat out told me I wasnât sexy and that I didnât turn them on. (I didnât ask so that made it extra weird.) Thankfully, that personâs approval was never a lifeline for me. Also, my highest self knew that it wasnât true. I am sexy. Sexy as fuck, actually. The truth is, sexiness is not defined by a singular thing. Sexiness is subjective and each person is in complete control of their idea of it. You canât let someone else define it in full for you - itâs something you decide for yourself. I donât think pregnant women or mothers are given credit for their sexuality. Even though everyone knows that we embody sex. No sex, no babies. Period. I think the aversion to sexy mamas is why some people gag when they see women like Beyonce, bbymutha, and Cardi B freely expressing themselves and talking about sex. Theyâre mothers, so theyâre ânot supposed toâ shake their asses, enjoy sex, or share successful songs about sucking dick. Some would rather they be quiet and pretend like their children popped up out of nowhere. Only the product is to be mentioned, never the process. Kei Thomas and I have worked together three times. He took my first, official maternity photos, shot my family and I preparing for my baby shower, and now this boudoir shoot. We are friends, and I think that shows in how he shoots me. Our sessions are executed with such care and a sense of excellence. I knew I wanted to work with him and I trusted him to capture me in all of my glory. This shoot was something I wanted to do because I felt the need to honor this special time in my life. Iâll only have one first pregnancy and I donât want to look back on it as the period when I gave up any power to become my childâs mother. If anything, I stepped into my power. I rejected sex when I felt like it, I wore cute nighties/went lingerie shopping, and twerked on occasion. I seduced myself by eating strawberries and chocolate. I made a saucy video. In short, I did the activities that made me feel like a goddess. Why not document that feeling? I encourage moms and expectant mothers to allow themselves to not only be sexy, but to take photographs of their hottest moments. Society wants us to hide and that unfair desire is how they try to take our glow. But, I know that empowering ourselves through taking control of personal narratives is the ultimate way to combat that. As far as preparation for the shoot goes, do whatever makes you feel free and comfortable. Pick your environment, go lingerie shopping, make a mood board. Just make sure the process is fun and stress-free. Itâs optional, so thereâs no need for pressure. Iâve gained 30 pounds since becoming pregnant. My breasts arenât the same size. Iâve had some issues with zits and hyperpigmentation. You know what though? Iâm happy. I appreciate my body because although it doesnât look like everyone elseâs, itâs healthy and itâs the vessel that my child chose to inhabit for nearly a year. My due date is in the last week of August and on that day, Iâll be bringing a healthy, bright-eyed little girl into the world. How could I not love my body for allowing me to do that? These pictures are how I say thank you. We should all thank our bodies for their capabilities.
