Halle Bailey and her boyfriend, rapper DDG, are enjoying being new parents after they welcomed their baby boy, Halo, late last year. And while speaking at the 2024 ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards Ceremony on Thursday (March 7), the 23-year-old emotionally detailed why she hid her pregnancy and didn’t go public with her baby bump.
Ahead of Friday’s (March 8) International Women’s Day, Bailey explained that the decision to hide her pregnancy came from a “place of protection,” and the “state of the world” also played a role.
“There was no way in hell I was going to share the biggest joy of my world with anyone. Halo was my gift. He is the greatest blessing, and I had no obligation to expose him, me, or my family to that,” Bailey declared. “With the state of the world and the place it is in with men trying to force their will on our bodies, no one on social media, and for d–n sure, no one on the planet was going to tell me what to do with my body or what to share with the world.”
The Little Mermaid star was on the verge of tears while thanking the women who came before her and set what she believed to be the right example.
“Do y’all remember when Prince Z David Marley, who came from a queen named Lauryn Hill, entered the world? Do you remember how private Beyoncé was about her pregnancy? We have that right. Every woman in the world has that right to choose what to do with their bodies and what to share with anyone or everyone,” she continued. “So thank you. Thank you to some of the strong women in my life, like my beautiful sisters standing here on the stage with me, for setting examples in resilience, confidence, and independence.”
Bailey and DDG revealed the birth of their son in January with a post on social media about bringing Halo into the world and becoming new parents.
While tending to mom duties, Bailey is also back in the studio working on new music, and she’s readying a single titled “In Your Hands” for next Friday (March 15).
“Whenever you’re down and sufferin’, I promise that I’ll be your only friend/ ‘Cause I know that the demons comin’ again, and we will never, ever let ’em in,” Bailey croons before bellowing the hook. “In your hands, in your hands, the world is yours!”
“You guys have asked for it, so i’ll gladly give it to you,” she added on X.
Watch the clip of Bailey explaining her decision to hide her pregnancy below:
