If you’ve google searched "Beyoncé," "baby shower," or "pregnancy" in the past 24 hours, you know that Beyoncé, who is very pregnant with twins, had her own baby shower over the weekend. Of course it was a star-studded event that included the likes of an also-pregnant Serena Williams, the other two surviving members of Destiny’s Child, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, everyone’s best friend La La Anthony, Bey’s mom and Instagram favorite Tina Lawson, and of course Bey’s superstar husband Jay Z. The latter guest may come as a surprise if you are accustomed to baby showers being women-only events. However, Baddie Bey didn’t exactly have a baby shower. She had a push party instead.
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The most obvious way to differentiate push parties from baby showers is the inclusion of all genders in celebrating the new life. But the differences go beyond that as well. If you are familiar with a push present — a gift given by a partner to the mom or birther of a baby — then you should have a little more context about a push party. Instead of focusing solely on the baby (or babies in this case), push parties are also a celebration the parents, specifically the mom, and the work they’re about to undertake to bring new life into the world.
If you’re big on comparisons, I would venture to say that a push party is to a baby shower what womanism is to feminism. It’s more intersectional and community-driven. Given Beyoncé’s commitment to advocating for both feminism and racial justice, it makes sense that she chose this route to celebrate her pregnancy with the twins. Although I have a feeling that the African theme was all Mama Tina’s idea.
Opting to have a push party instead of a traditional baby shower might also reveal something about Beyoncé’s looming due date. Baby showers are usually held early in the third trimester of a pregnancy, when the mom is likely past the point of miscarriage but also not so far along that she could go into labor at any moment. This also allows parents some time to organize, sanitize, and assemble all of the gifts they’re likely to receive for the baby. Push parties are typically held closer to the due date since, as the name suggests, they are all about honoring the forthcoming labor. It’s pretty obvious that Beyoncé is near the end of her pregnancy, but a push party suggests that we may not have to wait until June to have a couple of new Carters.
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Regardless of when the twins make their debut, we’re glad that Bey and Jay were able to surround themselves with good energy and loved ones before their arrival. I’m also relieved that Bey isn’t too uncomfortable to dance.